Falx is a planet in the Spelljammer campaign setting. This size F spherical earth body is dominated by the Illithid.[1]
Overview[]
Falx appears as an almost featureless sphere of white from wildspace, with only the most extreme weather systems being visible as textured swirls within the otherwise featureless cloud cover. Falx is almost perfectly spherical with an equatorial diameter of 20,000 miles (32,186 kilometres). The makeup of Falx is similar to that of many other earth worlds, except that its crust is considerably thicker and its core is a great deal smaller, resulting in a lot less volcanic activity. Because its nickel-iron core is smaller and cooler than other worlds, Falx has no magnetic field to speak of, meaning in turn that magnetic compasses, including lodestones, won't work.
The planet's axis is inclined at an angle of 10° to the plane of its orbit, meaning that the planet experiences seasons. Geologically, Falx has been "dead" for a very long time. Consequently there are no newly-formed mountain ranges. If there once were mighty mountains, they've been weathered down over the millennia to smooth, rolling hills. The maximum range in altitude, from the highest hilltop to the deepest basin, is only 8,000 feet (2,438 meters) or so. There are no volcanos, earthquakes, hot springs, or other signs of volcanic activity. Because of the ambient high temperature, there is no liquid water on the surface of Falx. There are indications, however, that this wasn't always the case: dry river beds and ocean basins, for example. Today the only liquid water is in underground lakes and seas.
Falx is permanently shrouded by a thick layer of cloud. Although this cloud cover reflects a great deal of incidental sunlight, Falx is not a cold world. In fact, the atmosphere contains a relatively high proportion of carbon dioxide which has led to a runaway greenhouse effect. The average surface temperature of the planet is 150°F (65°C). At the poles, this drops to a more manageable 100° (38°C), while at the equator the temperature climbs to 165° (74°C). Because most of this heat is a result of the greenhouse effect, there is no noticeable difference between daytime and night time temperatures. Seasonal variation in temperature is almost negligible as well. Temperature drops steadily with increasing altitude, until it reaches 80° (27°C) at the lower margin of the cloud layer.
The cloud cover is unbroken between 20,000 feet (6,096 meters) and 40,000 feet (12,192 meters) above the surface. The temperature within the cloud cover is low enough to allow for occasional rain. However, the rain never reaches the ground, even at the poles; instead, it re-evaporates before it gets within a few thousand feet of the surface. Winds can be extremely strong on Falx, often achieving speeds in excess of 200 mph (322 kph). The underside of the cloud layer is often lit by strobe-flashes of massive lightning storms. Falx's thick cloud cover absorbs most of the light of the sun. During the day, the average level of illumination is like that of starlight on a standard world. At night, the darkness is stygian, broken only by the flash of lightning. The clouds absorb more of the red end of the spectrum, so the light at the surface is bluish-green, giving an unmistakable sense of being underwater.
Although Falx has no surface water, there is evidence that this was not always the case. There are three large, shallow basins that could only be the sole reminders of vanished oceans. All three of these basins are almost perfectly circular. Certain sages take this as evidence that Falx was at one time struck by gigantic meteorites. Perhaps it was these massive impacts that altered the climate and caused the extinction of most forms of life on the surface.[1]
Inhabitants[]
Falx has two totally different, and almost entirely independent, ecosystems. The first encompasses the surface of the planet; the other includes the caverns and tunnels that honeycomb the upper crust.
Surface Ecosystem[]
Life on the surface is very difficult, due to both the high temperature and powerful winds. In general, surface life falls into two quite different categories: small creatures that can shelter from the winds, or massive creatures powerful enough to withstand their assault. Plant life on the surface is limited to mobile colony-type organisms similar to mosses. These organisms form huge carpets over the landscape, often hundreds of feet across. In texture they resemble finely-woven rugs, and their color is usually a profusion of reds and oranges.
Animal life is exclusively reptilian. Falx is home to a profusion of small lizard-like creatures, typically four-legged, although six- and eight-legged varieties have been reported. Most are omnivorous scavengers, feeding on the carpet mosses and on each other, and are typically between one foot and three feet in length[2]. At the other end of the scale are the larger denizens on Falx's surface. Rather than depending on their low profile and ability to shelter to protect them from the vicious winds, these creatures trust to their strength and resilience to keep them alive. The most populous are indistinguishable from the tarrasque, and while the true tarrasque is reputed to be unique, there are several hundred of these enormous monsters spread across the surface of Falx. (Some sages claim that this world is the home of the tarrasque, and that the unique creature is actually a single specimen transported through space for some reason. Other sages point out that there might be subtle differences between the Falx tarrasques and the terrestrial version. Space is large, after all, and the similarity might be just coincidence.)[1]
Subterranean Ecology[]
During a much ealier period of volcanic activity, the crust of Falx was networked with lava tubes and caverns. Now that the lava has receded, this labirynthian network of tunnels and caverns is inhabited by many subterranean lifeforms. As mentioned, the only liquid water on Falx is found as subterranean rivers, lakes and oceans accessible by these passageways.
Many subterranean creatures make their homes beneath the surface of Falx. Populations of orcs and goblins are known to exist, and are likely used as slaves and food by the more dominant races. Other races reputed to be present include a small contingent of dwarves who were marooned on Falx when their spelljamming citadel was attacked and damaged by a celestial dragon. Likewise, there are legends that suggest there is a growing population of drow who are either unable or unwilling to leave. Some explorers report that Falx is home to a relatively large population of myconids, who use the caverns and tunnels to cultivate great crops of baneful molds, slimes and jellies. Most disturbing of all are the tales that claim some of Falx's subterranean lakes are populated by the foul race of aboleths.[1]
The Illithids[]
The dominant race on, or beneath, Falx is undoubtedly the mind flayers, or illithids. These hideous creatures are growing more and more populous, and their cities and outposts are spreading at a disturbing rate. Unless the other intelligent races beneath the surface cooperate in opposing the mind flayers, an unlikely occurrence at best, it seems likely that soon enough the entire subterranean region will be controlled by the illithids. The sole exception will be the regions occupied by the aboleths. It seems that there is a firm alliance between the mind flayers and the aboleths. In return for guarantees that the aboleths' territory will remain sacrosanct, and promises of more territory later, the aboleths have been passing on to the illithids some of their great stock of unholy knowledge.
Two huge illithid cities, each spreading for miles in three dimensions through interconnected passageways, have been reported, and there are doubtless smaller mind flayer outposts elsewhere beneath the surface. The two iIIithid cities are literally half a world away from each other: one is beneath Falx's north pole, the other beneath the south. Since iIIithids are telepathic, the cities have no names as such. Instead, they have mental "labels" which, when translated into the common tongue, can be expressed as 'Brain-in-the-Skull' (the northern city) and 'Tentacles-Grip-Tightly'. 'Brain-in-the-Skull' is the older and larger of the two cities, with a population exceeding two million iIIithids. Its elder-brain is so well-developed that its telepathic range is in excess of 10 miles - unheard of anywhere else in the universe. Tentacles-Grip-Tightly is smaller and younger, with a population still to reach one million. While Brain-in-the-Skull has size and tradition going for it, Tentacles-Grip-Tightly seems to be more dynamic and active.[1]
Spelljamming[]
The illithids of Falx are well aware of the concepts involved in building and flying spelljamming vessels. They simply have no interest in exploring the rest of the universe. However, they have been known to use intermediaries or illithid agents to investigate or intervene in events that interest them.[3][4]. However, the complete conquest of Falx appears to be a great enough task to occupy them for the next few decades.
The elder-brains that rule over the illithid communities throughout Falx constantly scan the skies of the planet for inbound spelljamming vessels. The iIIithids are very interested in, and quite concerned about, vessels arriving from elsewhere, since they might be bringing either reinforcements for the beleaguered races the iIIithids are trying to exterminate, or yet another faction that might unsettle matters even more. For this reason, as soon as an inbound spelljamming vessel is detected, i.e. when it passes within the telepathic radius of an elder-brain, the iIIithids take whatever action is necessary to drive the ship away or destroy it.
Although the Falx illithids have little interest in spelljamming for themselves, the same can't be said about the aboleths. There are frightening rumors that, as part of their non-aggression pact, the illithids have agreed to build ships and acquire helms (of some kind) for the aboleths. The thought of aboleths rampaging around the universe in ships of their own is simply too horrible to contemplate.[1]
Appendix[]
External Links[]
- Falx article at the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Nigel Findley, SJR4 Practical Planetology, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Chapter 2 Earth Bodies, Falx section, pages 7-9
- ↑ Nigel Findley, SJR4 Practical Planetology, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Imbul (Falx) section, page 56
- ↑ Elaine Cunningham, The Radiant Dragon, 1992, (TSR Inc.), pages 59-75
- ↑ Nigel Findley, The Broken Sphere, 1993, (TSR Inc.), pages 160-161