The OmniSphere: A Genesys RPG

What is the OmniSphere? Everything. Where is it? Everywhere. You are in it right now. Well, a part of it anyway. Confused? Let me explain. The universe that you believe encompasses all of reality is actually only one of an infinite number of universal “bubbles” or Spheres. Each Sphere is different, with some being nearly identical to one another, while others have drastically different histories, occupants, or even laws of physics and magic. The Spheres are separated from one another by the Void, a vast inter-dimensional nothingness that consumes all that enters it. All of the Spheres together comprise the OmniSphere, the sum of all that exists.

Like you, most inhabitants of the OmniSphere believe that their Sphere, their “universe” is the only one. However, there are a few, whether through accident, artifice, curse, or divine intervention, who can step beyond the bounds of their world, through the vast nothingness of the Void, and into another universe entirely. These rare few are the WorldWalkers.

So this is where I am going to be posting info about my Genesys setting, the OmniSphere. I will be posting updates about the individual Spheres and the important worlds within them as I go, including Earth Omega, aka Nightmare Earth, a world abandoned long ago by whatever gods it might have once had and overrun with creatures of horror; Althera, a realm divided by feuding Houses and held together by the efforts of the Guardians, a group of wandering priests rumored to possess supernatural powers; the Spires, a steam-powered world where experimentation with mysterious Etheric Crystals has led to the creation of powerful airships, dangerous weapons, and strange magics; and various others new and unique worlds!

Players will have the option of creating characters from any of the various Spheres, with their characters all being WorldWalkers. How they gained the ability to travel the worlds would depend on their character, whether they invented an Etheric device that rends space-time, made a pact with a Void entity, or perhaps can simply run so fast that when they gain enough momentum they can break the dimensional barrier. However they gained the ability, the players will be able to adventure all across the OmniSphere, facing unique challenges and gaining dangerous adversaries along the way!

Feel free to share your thoughts!

The Omega Sphere: Nightmare Earth

If there ever were any gods, or a creator of some kind, they abandoned this world long ago. Of course, you could argue that we abandoned them first, which some have. They say that the state of things is our punishment for turning our backs on God. If this is our punishment, then when this world finally kills me I am going to have some words with the Man Upstairs.

You see, our world used to be much like yours. Cities, people, airplanes, cars, global warming, all that jazz. Technology advanced, and eventually religion dwindled as fewer and fewer saw a need for it, until religion was essentially dead. Life continued much as it had before, the death of religion doing little to change the way of things. That is, until the day the sun failed to rise. The start of the Endless Night.

That morning the stars faded from the sky, much as they would when the sun would rise, only there was no light. The sky just grew darker, until the only light in the sky came from the pale radiance of the moon. Astronomers were stumped. No one could explain how the sun and stars had all vanished, or how the moon still gave off light without the sun to reflect, or even how we were all still alive without the sun’s rays.

Governments tried to keep the people calm, but there is something primal about the dark, a fear that none ever truly shake. As days passed and the darkness remained, the masses grew more panicked, and governments frantically tried to establish order, to little avail. Those early months were... bad, but they were nothing compared to what came next.

They say it was some kind of biological weapon. Something cooked up in a lab and then locked away for being too horrible for even the most demented mind to deploy. Apparently they underestimated the depths to which humanity can go. Someone released the weapon, no one really knows who, and it spread. In days, seventy percent of the world’s population was gone. Well, not quite gone. You see, death wasn’t enough. Those who died rose again as the Dead, lumbering corpses hungering for living flesh.

Crippled as the world was, there was little we could do against the rising tide of the dead. All seemed lost. And then, they came. From the shadows of myth and nightmare, the Lords of Night stepped forward. Pale skin, red eyes, and log, cruel fangs gave them away. They were vampires, creatures that had long been believed to be nothing more than stories. They promised to save us, not just from the Dead, but from ourselves. All we had to do was give them absolute control. Desperate as we were, even the obvious hunger in their eyes could not dissuade us. We accepted. And so, our nightmares fought our nightmares for us.

It was horrifying to witness, yet it was glorious. The Lords of Night cut through the Dead like a scythe through wheat, cutting them down in droves. Their speed, their strength, it was more than unnatural. It was impossible. But they didn’t get rid of the Dead entirely. No, that would have left us with no more need for their protection. Instead they culled the herd, but left our cities to the Dead. They built new cities, where they promised we would be safe from the Dead, but we would be under their power.

Those who chose that path became little more than cattle. Cared for, fed, and protected until they were ripe and ready for the harvest. They have a semblance of a social structure, but in reality the varying degrees of wealth just equate to how expensive a meal you are.

Some tried to survive in little havens of their own creation at the edge of what was once civilization, but the constant threat of the Dead looms over them like a shroud.

Yet others fled from both the Dead and the Lords of Night alike, hiding in what remains of the wilds of the world. These found troubles of their own. In our absence, the wilds had been reclaimed by those who dwelled in them once before, creatures of nature as changeable as the wind and as deadly as the sea. The Fae. These aren’t like the little fairies and pixies in children’s books. No, these creatures are cruel, vindictive, and out for blood. I don’t know whether they were always this way or if they simply grew to hate us after centuries of destroying their home, but whatever the case, those who fled to the wilds were in no better place than those fighting against the tides of the Dead or living under the rule of the Lords of Night.

But while the gods may have abandoned us, the sun may have stopped shining, and all of our nightmares might have crawled their way into our world and taken over, there are some of us who fight back. Those who stalk the shadows of the Cities of Night, hunting the hunters. Those who stand vigil against the Dead. Those who teach the Fae to fear the cold touch of iron. And as our world continues to grow darker, we find new ways to fight back.

No divine sources reach out to help, but there are other, darker entities more than willing to give power to those who ask it, for a price. Some have learned to tap into the power that feeds the Lords of Night, and while the Dead lumber on, some have learned to wield the power of their vengeful spirits as weapons against the Endless Night.

.....

Characters from Nightmare Earth can range from vampire hunters to zombie survivalists to wild men fighting against the attacks of the Fae and anything between. This world has three magic systems:

Diabolism, which is similar to how Warlocks work in D&D, you made a deal with something you shouldn’t have, and now you have supernatural powers in exchange for eternal servitude. Diabolism uses Cunning.

Hemalurgy, which is basically blood bending. You can control blood, and do some pretty nasty stuff with it. Hemalurgy uses Intellect.

And last but not least, Shadebinding, the ability to control the spirits of the dead and use them against your enemies. Shadebinding uses Willpower.

Unfortunately, I can’t really say how each type of magic will work in-game until we get a better look at how magic works in Genesys.

Each world I add will have its own main ideas and genres associated with it, along with its own system(s) of magic. Nightmare Earth obviously is a Horror/Fantasy setting where mankind has been left alone to fend off the darkness, but other worlds could be much lighter, or just messed up in different ways. Being the kind of person I am, I can’t have a world without some sort of magic, but each world will be different in how magic functions. How this will affect magic using characters as they jump across worlds... we will have to see what happens then.

Feel free to comment and add your thoughts.

First of all... I LOVE the idea of the OmniSphere! And can't wait to see more from you on this in the future.

My only suggestions would be to maybe add a strange sigil that appeared upon the surface of the moon on the first day of the "Endless Night"... a strange rune that flared into life in a burst of brilliance that was seen by those on the planet below. As a sort of marker in time to the changing of an Era!

Then you could have a campaign based around trying to find out exactly what caused it... and what it means?

You could even use it to start some sort of Fanatical Church that believe that if they can unravel the meaning of the gylth that is forever burned into the Moon's pale surface, they can bring about the return of the God/Creator... and bring back the light once and for all!

Anyways...great stuff!

19 minutes ago, Palomarus said:

First of all... I LOVE the idea of the OmniSphere! And can't wait to see more from you on this in the future.

I’m glad you like it! Worldbuilding is one of my favorite things, but I am particularly excited to bring it to life when Genesys comes out. I’m hoping to be able to create a multiverse where any one world would make a good setting for a campaign, but together make the ultimate range of possibilities!

21 minutes ago, Palomarus said:

My only suggestions would be to maybe add a strange sigil that appeared upon the surface of the moon on the first day of the "Endless Night"... a strange rune that flared into life in a burst of brilliance that was seen by those on the planet below. As a sort of marker in time to the changing of an Era!

That is an interesting idea, I will have to think about that. A lot of possibilities with Nightmare Earth...

The next world I will be focusing on will be within the Delta Sphere: The World of Broken Heroes. Now that the latest teaser article has shown us a look at what superheroes look like in the game, I am excited to bring out my own superhero-themed setting!

I also think you need to work in some sort of "Cross-Sphere" Bounty Hunter type force of World Walkers. The "seekers" of the OmniSphere that can track violators of crimes and such across the different spheres, and bring them to Justice!

1 hour ago, Palomarus said:

I also think you need to work in some sort of "Cross-Sphere" Bounty Hunter type force of World Walkers. The "seekers" of the OmniSphere that can track violators of crimes and such across the different spheres, and bring them to Justice!

I will be adding in a “Beyond the Spheres” section after I have talked about a few of the different worlds, in which I will talk about inter-dimensional groups, the nature of the Void, and certain special locations that are beyond the typical scope of the infinite universes and are truly unique in the OmniSphere...

The Delta Sphere: The World of Broken Heroes

You’ve probably heard this part before, but our world was once like yours. Governments squabbled, people had arguments on the internet over things that really didn’t matter, and conspiracy theorists claimed the earth was flat. You know, normal things. Nothing all too strange or impossible happened. Well, plenty of strange things happened, because that is life, but not this kind of strange. Whatever happened, the laws of physics were generally kept intact and life continued on. Then we had the Event.

No one really knows how to explain was it was or how it happened, but we all remember that day. The earth shook, and suddenly everything was consumed in blinding white light that seemed to set every atom in your body on fire. Then, after what felt like an eternity of nothing but light and pain, it was over, gone as fast as it had appeared. No one knew what had happened, but everyone on earth knew that something had happened. We called it the only thing we could: The Event.

Scientists of every shape and variety tried to explain it, to no avail. It was simply there, and then it wasn’t. But weeks passed, and nothing seemed to come of it. You might think it strange, but the human mind has a way of normalizing things after long enough. We had begun to forget all about the Event, until that video hit the web, the video that changed the world. A family trapped, their minivan pinned between a massive truck and a brick wall. A teenager, face obscured by his hoodie, stepping forward. Gasps of shock as he proceeded to lift the truck , pulling it off the van and tossing the crumpled van doors aside without apparent effort. Finally, after getting everyone out, he leapt into the sky, vanishing without a trace.

That video went viral instantly, and the world went mad. Could superheroes be real? We had all seen the movies, and some still read comics, but the idea of such individuals being real was impossible. Wasn’t it? Not anymore.

What came next could have come straight out of a comic book. Villains rose to terrorize the world, and heroes rose to meet them. Legion, a madman who could duplicate himself infinitely took over Chicago. Doctor Wilson Prescott, a former heart surgeon turned homicidal maniac, developed telekinesis and proceeded to slaughter the entirety of the mental asylum he had been locked in. And then came the Guardians of Hope.

They were unbelievable. Heroes of the highest caliber, the kind you look up to. They defeated Legion and Prescott, and then proceeded to make any and all superhuman criminals their responsibility. And their numbers grew. Two grew to four, then six, and they continued to fight. From the Nuclear Soldier in Russia to the Tanzanian Terror in Africa, they were unstoppable. Everyone loved them. They seemed perfect, untouchable. Incorruptible.

Then something changed. Speedster, the smack-talking, super-speeding jokester of the team, vanished mysteriously. Following his disappearance, the Guardians of Hope became more and more aggressive. They started killing those they fought and bullying the governments of the world into giving them more and more control. Enamored of them as we were, we didn’t see the truth until it was too late. The Guardians of Hope, our heroes, had taken over the world.

Their reign was short-lived however, as a battle broke out with a mysterious superhuman some believed to be the missing Speedster, and in the battle Aiden Brown, a member of the Guardians of Hope and a powerful telepath who had always stayed out of the limelight, was dead, the rest of the “heroes” scattered, with our mysterious savior’s fate unknown.

In the chaos that followed, the governments of the world reacted swiftly and aggressively. Superhuman registration acts and laws against any use of superhuman abilities were passed across the globe, and new agencies were created to counter the threat of our-of-control superhumans. New technologies were invented by studying the biology of captured superhumans, enabling ordinary humans to wield superhuman abilities.

The International Anti-Superhuman Taskforce (IAST) was formed by the United Nations to be the ultimate superhuman deterant, every agent trained to fight against impossible odds and wield the strange and unique weapons and technologies devised from superhuman genetics. The word “super” became taboo, and while technically it is only illegal to use powers, in all truth, if it is discovered that you possess superhuman abilities, it won’t be long before IAST arrives to take you away, never to be seen again. Is it harsh? Maybe. But most of the world would rather all superhumans be hunted down than let another Guardians of Hope situation happen. I doubt the superhumans feel the same way though.

.....

In a world betrayed by its heroes, superhumans are being hunted down. Will you play as an agent of IAST, hunting down rogue supers and wielding impossible technology and advanced training? Or are you a superhuman yourself, hiding from the watchful eye of IAST and maybe trying to do some good in the world? Or are you maybe something in-between? It would be interesting to see if superhumans could hide amongst IAST’s own ranks...

So the “magic” in this world is really just the effects of the Event on the people of the world. No Doctor Strange-type characters or alien species in this world. However, superhuman abilities of all kinds abound! If Genesys can manage it, then you can do it. There also aren’t many Batman-type characters in this world, but if you want to play a non-powered character, the IAST is always recruiting! An agent beginning to question the justice of what they are doing is also a fun possibility. It isn’t the happiest superhero universe, but if everything was fine and dandy, there wouldn’t be a need for world-hopping heroes to show up, would there?

I’m not sure what Sphere to highlight next. I’m thinking one of the two medieval fantasy worlds. Either Althera, a Realm Divided, where squabbling Houses are being manipulated ever closer to Civil War by a mysterious force, or Astaere, the Grand Protectorate, where not even your thoughts are safe from the gaze of the tyrannical Overlord...

I love this, too! I had just been wondering if Genesys might be easily used for a multiverse setting such as this.

Some questions... do you plan to have mechanics to represent how things, beings and abilities transported from one universe to another interact? Such as magic and technology? Can different spheres have different “tones” (such as gritty vs cinematic “Last Action Hero” kind of things)?

Does time flow at the same rate in every Sphere?

4 hours ago, JonSolo2 said:

do you plan to have mechanics to represent how things, beings and abilities transported from one universe to another interact? Such as magic and technology? Can different spheres have different “tones” (such as gritty vs cinematic “Last Action Hero” kind of things)?

Yes and yes. There will be different mechanics for the different Spheres, as each one as it’s own laws that govern it. I won’t make any Spheres where a character becomes useless (such as a world where magic does not exist, and thus the wizard character can do nothing) because that wouldn’t be fair to my players, but I will have worlds where certain effects are stronger or weaker.

Also, each of the Spheres will have their own tone, which will influence the mechanics of that world as well. For example, Nightmare Earth has a Horror tone, and so the rules for fear and sanity will be particularly important there, as the characters feel the effects of the evil pervading the world, whereas The World of Broken Heroes has a superhero tone, and thus will be using the rules associated with it. The characters will feel empowered while on that world, like they can do anything, but the enemies they face will be similarly imposing. I’m excited to see what other tones there are so I can incorporate them into my worlds.

As for time, the best way I can describe it is wibbly-wobbly. Some Spheres time moves faster than others and vice versa. You might leave a Sphere and return a few months later to find a thousand years have passed and your deeds are the stuff of legends, or you may return years later and only seconds have passed for them.

The idea is to make the Spheres feel less like just different planets in the same universe and more like what they are; their own universes, complete with their own laws of physics, flows of time, and varieties of magic.

I haven't read through the game but this sounds very similar to my understanding of The Strange RPG by Monte Cook.

While I know you are not making a world where magic does not exist I do like the idea of the players going to a world where magic was never discovered or one that replaced magic with tech and considers the actual practice of magic "archaic and outdated" when they can simply use certain tech items to do something similar and have lost the art of crafting unique magics. Same thing with introducing a super hero into a normal world. Basically I would still like to see a normal realm where magic never existed and there are no super heroes but simply because humanity never discovered magic doesn't mean magic doesn't exist, better yet a world that is like that in which there is an "MiB" like organization that knows about other realms and monitors transportation from one realm to another and "keeps the peace" in the "normal world" by allowing people to get along with their happy lives by hiding and limiting the activities of magic and super power people.

Edit: i know that sounds complicated, but basically wanted a world with normal people all over the place, on in which the group is heralded as the first super heroes and magic users, and one in which the moment they enter the realm they arent incapable of using magic or super powers but they are told to keep it on the down low because we don't need the kind of troubles those things bring in our happy little lives.

I really like this, Johan, and it seems distinct from what Monte Cook is doing with The Strange. The Strange definitely has some similarities, and definitely some great ideas (especially in terms of methods of travel, and "translating" to a destination universe).

So to that point, Monte Cook in The Strange has the concept that universes are like a living thing. They are born, and they can sometimes grow larger and more complex as they go on. I think this is an interesting idea-- and then you can have some fun meta ideas that the whole OmniSphere is like a living organism, the characters are like White Blood Cells trying to protect it. There can be other things to explore in this vein besides, such as universes collapsing together (more on that in a second).

I'm sure you're familiar with Roger Zelazny's Amber Chronicles-- Zelazny had the concept of varying degrees of reality. So different shadows of Earth might be more real than others. I love the notion of limitless of parallel universes (a la Sliders), but I think I'm slightly less interested in investigating that in a roleplaying setting, and it's kind of a genre of its own (like a sort of "Fringe" the RPG). Which lead me to my own world creation ideas which more or less prevent two worlds from being too similar. I myself have been influenced a great deal by Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series.

We should share notes on multiverse creation sometime, if you're interested.

So speaking of other settings that have a similar bent, have you heard of Wayfarer: Things Beyond Wonder? They're an Indie rpg developer and they have a print on demand version. Seems a bit crunchy in terms of rules, but I like much of the artwork. I haven't picked it up yet, but I'm keen to try all of these things in one way or another.

9 minutes ago, tunewalker said:

While I know you are not making a world where magic does not exist I do like the idea of the players going to a world where magic was never discovered or one that replaced magic with tech and considers the actual practice of magic "archaic and outdated" when they can simply use certain tech items to do something similar and have lost the art of crafting unique magics. Same thing with introducing a super hero into a normal world. Basically I would still like to see a normal realm where magic never existed and there are no super heroes but simply because humanity never discovered magic doesn't mean magic doesn't exist, better yet a world that is like that in which there is an "MiB" like organization that knows about other realms and monitors transportation from one realm to another and "keeps the peace" in the "normal world" by allowing people to get along with their happy lives by hiding and limiting the activities of magic and super power people.

Edit: i know that sounds complicated, but basically wanted a world with normal people all over the place, on in which the group is heralded as the first super heroes and magic users, and one in which the moment they enter the realm they arent incapable of using magic or super powers but they are told to keep it on the down low because we don't need the kind of troubles those things bring in our happy little lives.

I think what Johan may be alluding to is: he doesn't want a universe where there is no magic, and any PC from a magic-rich world who travels there is suddenly and completely unable to use their powers...
So what I take from Johan's response is that there may not be magic in a world, but the magic user PC who travels there is still able to use their abilities...

1 hour ago, JonSolo2 said:

So speaking of other settings that have a similar bent, have you heard of Wayfarer: Things Beyond Wonder? They're an Indie rpg developer and they have a print on demand version. Seems a bit crunchy in terms of rules, but I like much of the artwork. I haven't picked it up yet, but I'm keen to try all of these things in one way or another.

No, I have not heard of it, though it sounds interesting. I’m not a big fan of rules crunching though.

1 hour ago, JonSolo2 said:

I think what Johan may be alluding to is: he doesn't want a universe where there is no magic, and any PC from a magic-rich world who travels there is suddenly and completely unable to use their powers...
So what I take from Johan's response is that there may not be magic in a world, but the magic user PC who travels there is still able to use their abilities...

Pretty much this. There are worlds where magic has been forgotten, or where it has “grown old”, or even where it has melded with science into a form of technomancy and become just as normal as cell phones are here, but there are no worlds where magic is truly “dead”, and thus while magic users can have potentially unpredictable things happen when they use magic on different worlds, there won’t be anywhere that their magic is completely useless. One example of such a Sphere is the Prime Sphere, the original universe, where magic has grown old and been forgotten by nearly all...

The Beta Sphere: The Hidden World

On the surface of things, our world appears to be very similar to yours. Almost identical, in fact. Twenty-first Century, big cities, lots of cars, nasty pollution, crazy politicians, a lizard person for President... Oh, you don’t have that? Just joking, neither do we. Though honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case. The guy is pretty crazy.

But while on the surface our world may appear much like yours, it is anything but. In your world magic grew old and weak. Maybe even dead. Here on the other hand, it is alive and well, though it is kept hidden. Most people have no idea that there is another world right under their noses, just out of sight. Either that or they just are too afraid to believe that those things they saw in the shadows were more than just their imagination. It is much easier to believe that the world is neat and ordered and figured out. Unfortunately, that is just an illusion. The real world is far worse. Welcome to the Hidden World.

Magic is very real, and so is every monster and horror from myth, legend, and local ghost stories. Well, maybe not all of them, but you get the point. The truth is kept a secret from most of the human population of the world, which isn’t nearly as hard as you think. People want to believe that their world is normal, so they make up excuses for themselves without us even having to make an effort. That horrifying thing you saw in the shadows was definitely just a trick of your sleep-deprived mind. The monstrous chunk bitten out of the victim’s neck was undoubtably from some sort of wild animal. It doesn’t matter that you are in a densely populated area miles away from the nearest wilderness or zoo, or that the vic’s body was completely drained of blood. That guy on the news eating a man’s face and getting shot over a dozen times by police before finally going down? Bath salts. Definitely not a zombie. Why? Because there is no such thing as magic .

This mantra has done a better job of hiding the truth about magic than any cover-up or memory wiping ever could. However, this does manage to provide the masses with some small amount of protection. You see, magic is all about belief. This stubborn refusal to disbelieve in magic despite all evidence to the contrary keeps the average human from catching the attention of whatever creepy crawler comes passing by. This protection isn’t perfect of course, because if something is hungry and you are the nearest thing no amount of cynicism will keep you from getting eaten.

The things that hide in the dark places of our world, or within the dimensions just at the edge of it, come in every shape, size, color, and any other category you can think of. Goblins and gremlins, dragons and dwarves, skin walkers and strigoi, oni and rakshasa, all real. Some stick to the shadows and gutters, while others are able to disguise themselves as us, living among us and even claiming positions of power in corporations and governments.

Humans aren’t completely left out in this world of magic, however. There are a lot of us actually, those who don’t repeat that senseless mantra. Some of us have no magical capacity, but we aren’t going to remain blind. We fight back with what we can, whether that means guns, blades, wealth, or political acumen. Others are a little more... special.

Magic comes in many different forms, but the most foundational principle, other than the importance of belief, is that energy must come from somewhere. Some individuals are born with a greater amount of life energy than others, a pool of energy within them far beyond anything an ordinary person could possess. These who learn to tap into this power become Magi, the wielders of True Magic. There are other forms of magic users as well, but Magi generally look down on them as inferiors, using pilfered magic. Not that it matters. With what is coming, we will need any advantage we can get.

.....

Characters in the Hidden World can be anything from cops to secret agents to mercenaries to morticians, and can wield various forms of magic. Species other than humans that would be available to play in this game could include half-human half-something else scions (half faerie, half vampire, half demon, etc). Magic comes in five categories, though one is more “naturally abilities” than magic, and another is... something else.

Inborn Gifts: This includes things like shapeshifting if you play a were-something, or superhuman strength and speed for someone playing a vampire or similar creature. Not directly spells and such, but most likely would only be able to be modeled in-game with some sort of spell.

True Magic: Wielded by Magi, this is magic at its most fundamental, and thus uses the Willpower characteristic. Telekinesis, telepathy, throwing fireballs around, all the realm of True Magic.

Ritual: There are those in the know who have no natural affinity for magic themselves. Since one fundamental rule is that the energy must come from somewhere, those who can’t do magic on their own can learn various rituals that draw on other energy sources, such as the earth, the magical realms themselves, or forces beyond. Those who use this magic often call themselves the Learned, though Magi often refer to them as Hedge Witches. Since this variety of magic requires study and understanding, it uses the Intellect characteristic.

Bargained: Some people don’t have a natural gift for magic and don’t have the patience to spend a lifetime studying arcane rituals. So instead, they look for power elsewhere. They make bargains, and can get power from many sources. Similar to Diabolism on Nightmare Earth, but the source can be from more than just the Dark Powers, though they are certainly an option. Fae royalty, pagan gods, dragons, all are willing to give a little of their power in exchange for a bit of your free will... Those who use this power are generally called Warlocks or Sorcerers. This skill will use the Cunning characteristic.

Faith: While not necessarily “magic”, people of faith have been known to do some incredible things. Do they truly get their power from a divine source, or is the power of their faith simply so strong that they can do what they believe they can do? Belief is one of the most important facets of magic, after all. I’m debating on using either Willpower or Presence for the characteristic on this one.

The Hidden World will have a big mystery-element to it, probably because my inspiration for it came from the mystery urban fantasy novels like The Dresden Files and the game The Secret World. It will also feature an important mechanic called Agency, aka free will. Choices you make in the game can give you more power at the cost of Agency, and if you go too far you can end up losing yourself. Any choice you make can either grant you more freedom or pull you closer to becoming a monster. If you accept the deal with the Faerie Queen for the power needed to protect your family, how long will it be before you are under her thrall? Or on the more mundane side, how many people can you kill before you stop having the capacity to care about innocent life? It is a dangerous path to walk, between freedom and power, but I feel it will make a fun mechanic.

As you can see, this game has a lot more magical options than my other ones (unless you count the superhero one, but whether or not that is “magic” is debatable). All of my worlds have magic, some predominantly so, but this is the world where you are far more likely to find magical PCs than non-magical ones, because it isn’t just humans vs monsters or humans vs humans in this world. In this world, the line between human and monster has become blurred, in some places so much so that it is nearly indiscernible (hence the struggle to maintain your free will). Will you retain your humanity, or will you become the very thing you have been trying to destroy?

Lordy I love this new one. I could probably play in just that one sphere and have a friken blast. I would love the idea of playing a cop who doesnt have magical powers but is doing the best he can to help out regardless. I like the idea of him being a former priest at one time and lost his faith, and he has to regain his faith in order to use magic to fight against the beasts that go bump in the night.

On 11/27/2017 at 3:47 PM, tunewalker said:

Lordy I love this new one. I could probably play in just that one sphere and have a friken blast. I would love the idea of playing a cop who doesnt have magical powers but is doing the best he can to help out regardless. I like the idea of him being a former priest at one time and lost his faith, and he has to regain his faith in order to use magic to fight against the beasts that go bump in the night.

I intend to create a full write-up for the OmniSphere, which will include details on each of the Spheres, so if you wanted to you could keep an entire campaign on any single Sphere without your characters ever learning that things like WorldWalkers existed.

The Gamma Sphere: Althera, a Realm Divided

The High King of Althera is dead. A once great realm is on the brink of collapse. Without an heir, each of the nine noble houses seeks to put one of their own on the throne. Alliances are formed, deals are made in back rooms, and rumors of war spread across the land. But behind it all is something far more sinister. Something dark, hiding in the shadows...

Millennia ago, the world nearly fell to darkness. No record tells what exactly the evil was that threatened the world, and art shows it only as an ominous expanse of black, but whatever it was, it almost consumed Althera. At the time Althera was nine feuding kingdoms, too busy warring with one another to battle the growing threat. Then, a simple man, some say he was a shepherd, others say he was a farmer, but whatever his occupation, this humble man was visited in a vision by the Creator himself. The Creator taught the man the truths of the universe and the secrets to happiness and endowed him with power, giving him the task of uniting the kingdoms and save the world from darkness. This man became known as Dalanar the Prophet.

Dalanar succeeded in his task. He united the kingdoms into one and gave the crown of the High King to one who was pure of heart. With the might of all nine kingdoms and the power of the Creator, the darkness was driven back, and the world was at peace once more. The High King worked to create peace between the kingdoms that would become the nine noble Houses, while Dalanar wandered the land, teaching others what the Creator had taught him.

Dalanar founded the Guardians, a group of men and woman given power by the Creator and tasked with teaching the people of Althera His ways and protecting them from the darkness. The Guardians built the Temple of Hope, a holy edifice that stands to this day as a beacon of light to the world. The Guardians are split into two sects, the Elders, who wander the realm, recognizable by their white cloaks, seeking out where evil hides and teaching the people, and the Protectors, holy warriors tasked with protecting the Temple of the Hope from any who would defile its sanctity. It is said the Guardians can heal grievous wounds, ward off evil, and cleanse with holy fire, though few have seen these miraculous abilities themselves.

In recent years, the shadows have grown. Something evil is stirring, and it is spreading its fingers throughout Althera. Less than a theory, barely a rumor, whispers tell of the Unseeing Eye, a secret society or cult taking power in all the Houses and pulling strings. A rare few even whisper that those in the cult have power comparable to that of the Guardians, but far darker in nature. Not that any would admit to the Unseeing Eye’s existence of course. None would be so foolish.

.....

Althera is a land of mystery. Campaigns can focus on many things, from political intrigue between the Houses, to investigating the growing darkness in the wilds of the land, to engaging in the Cold War between the Houses that is growing warmer by the day, but mystery is an important element to all of them, and behind it all is the machinations of the mysterious Unseeing Eye. Unfortunately I can’t give you an in-depth rundown of the Houses without taking far too much time to write it all, but I can give you the basics here:

The Houses:

• House Fiera
  • It was from this House that the first High King came. House Fiera are a bronze-skinned race that have a very spartan-like warrior culture, and believe in abstaining from all forms of excess. They live in the Cracked Steppes, an inhospitable region House Fiera has managed to tame through sheer force of will. Their symbol is the Eternal Flame.
• House Zal’aka
  • A dark-skinned race of people, House Zal’aka live in the Forsaken Desert, a land of sand and heat. Their ancestors built giant monuments in the desert, but many are now buried beneath the desert sands. The few cities of House Zal’aka center around oasis’s, the only source of life in the harsh desert landscape, filled with giant snakes and massive scorpions. Kind of a mix of tribal African and Egyptian. Their symbol is the Serpent.
• House Kala’ula
  • Hailing from the Manifold Islands just off Althera’s western shore, House Kala’ula are a dark-skinned people inspired by Polynesian culture. House Kala’ula has control of most sea-based trade and have the largest navy of the Houses. All members of the House must survive a coming-of-age ritual where they survive a week on the seas alone. Their symbol is the Shark.
• House Telos
  • Live in cities built into the peaks of the Graven Mountains, a towering mountain range separating the North from the rest of Althera. Their cities are believed to be impregnable, as the only way to reach them is through tight, winding mountain passes or by the giant pulley-controlled lifts controlled by the Guard. The people of House Telos are tall and pale-skinned, and the royal family of the House are all distinguished by their fiery red hair. House Telos also shares a special bond with the Giant Eagles that share their mountain home, and the elite fighting force of House Telos are the Eagle Knights, warriors that rule the skies on the backs of their eagle allies. Their symbol is the Eagle.
• House Ranoh
  • The horse masters of House Ranoh are a migratory people that live on the Endless Plains, just south of the Graven Mountains. They are fair-skinned and fair-haired and were inspired by the Rohirrim from Lord of the Rings. Their symbol is the Horse.
• House Kamizaki
  • From Maira Island, off of the eastern coast of Althera, House Kamizaki are a secretive House that are very fond of politics and extravagance, and are known for their love of secrets. Based off of a mix of ancient Japan and ancient China. They have somewhat different religious beliefs than most of Althera, as while they still technically follow the teachings of the Prophet, they also believe strongly in the words of the philosopher Master Sho-Zou (A Confucius/Buddha-like figure). They have a strong sense of honor, believe in peace through meditation, believe in reincarnation, and believe that the Creator has never appeared to humanity in person, but instead said his messages through Divine Beasts, also known as dragons. Their symbol is the Dragon.
• House Durek
  • House Durek share the Graven Mountains with their neighbors and allies House Telos, but while Telos rule the peaks and the skies, Durek holds the roots of the mountains as their home. Their subterranean lifestyle has led them to grow shorter and shorter over the years, to the point that many of the other Houses mockingly refer to them as “dwarves”. While short, the people of House Durek are strong, and have become the masters of their mountain home. Their culture is very much like that of typical fantasy dwarves, but if you call one of them a dwarf be prepared for some retribution. WorldWalkers unfamiliar with the ways of Althera beware. Their symbol is the Ram.
• House Sylvara
  • House Sylvara reside in the Greatwood that covers much of the east of Althera. Of all Althera’s people they are the most in-touch with nature, to the point that many of their cities are built into the massive trees of the Greatwood itself. They revere the spirits of nature and are easily angered at those that defile nature’s sanctity. This behavior, combined with the lithe builds and pointed ears of the members of the House has led many to whisper that those of House Sylvara are not human at all, but some Fae creature. Such beliefs are unfounded, of course. They were inspired by classic fantasy elves. Their symbol is the Stag.
• House Beor
  • House Beor rule the savage Northlands, and their culture reflects their homeland, from love to politics. In House Beor, the strong rule, and duels and trials by combat are far from rare. This mostly stays within the House itself, as few are mad enough to challenge a Beor warrior in combat. The shortest men of House Beor stand just over six feet, while the tallest are well over seven feet, towering over other men, leading many to call them giants. House Beor is inspired by the Vikings. Their symbol is the Bear.

Magic on Althera comes in two flavors: Guardians and Sorcerers.

• The Guardians are a holy order granted power by the Creator. Guardian Elders will generally have the power to heal or protect others, calling down holy fire when absolutely necessary. Guardian Protectors have blessed armor and weapons, and will be empowered to enhance their own physical capabilities, create shields of light, and often wreath their blades in holy fire. A Guardian must remain pure of heart to keep this power, or it is taken from them. A Guardian’s strength comes from their Willpower.
• Fortunately for the not-so-pure in heart, there is another source of power. Spirits from another, darker realm find their way into Althera to tempt men to greater and greater acts of evil, but a cunning mind can bind these spirits to their will and dominate them, giving the one who bound them power. These men and women are called Sorcerers, and they walk a dangerous line. For while binding these spirits gives them great power, a single slip-up could result in the spirits being released, resulting in a horrific end for their would-be master. Only those with great Cunning can wield the power of these dark spirits and live.
• It is important to note that while Guardians and Sorcerers can tell the difference between the two times of magic, the common people cannot. It would not be difficult for a sorcerer to fool others into believing that their power was divine in origin.

The Iota Sphere: The Spires, a World of Innovation

Once the world below was inhabitable. Or at least that’s what the history books say. Not much is known about the surface, or about the time when people lived there. However, at some point in the distance past, we all lived down there. Then something happened, and monsters came for us. Some say they were something we unleashed, others say they were creatures from beyond our world, and others claim they were the wrath of God unleashed upon us for our sins. Whatever it was, we fled to the mountains. It was there we made our stand, and there that we beat back the monsters.

Our ancestors knew that the beasts would come back, and so they found their way to the peaks of the tallest mountains, and their they built the Spires, nearly invincible fortress-cities stretching into the sky and delving into the mountain beneath. Over time the wondrous technologies that enabled the creation of the Spires were lost, and we fell into a dark age, hiding from the monsters on the surface world far beneath us. Over time, due to a mix of climate and dangerous radiation left over from our age-old war, many people began to change, and the growing physical differences between citizens of the Spires sparked greater conflict. This dark age continued until one lucky individual discovered something in the depths of the mountain caverns beneath their Spire: Etheric Crystals.

These strange green crystals emanated with power, and they started a new expansion of invention and innovation. The mining, and later growing, of Etheric Crystals became the largest industry of the world, and Etheric-powered factories created cheaper steam-powered technologies for the common man. Steam and clockwork were the realm of the common man, while Etheric power remained in the hands of the wealthy. Man was saved from the brink of savagery, but as the Spire began to prosper, their thoughts turned to the other remnants of humanity. How could they bring this advancement to their fellowman when miles and miles of beast-infested land separated them?

Then one invention changed everything: the airship. With a massive Etheric Crystal at the core of each ship and smaller crystals channeling the power through the ship, these impossible vessels could sail through the air. The first airship landed on another Spire not long after, and the Age of Invention spread across the world. Over time the airships advanced as well, larger vessels foregoing sails in favor of steam and Etheric-powered engines.

The world below changed as well, as the scars left behind from our war became overgrown with plant life, until a seemingly endless green canopy covered the ground beneath us, hiding our eternal enemies from our sight. But they are still there. Wood has become the second most valuable resource, after Etheric Crystals, due to the dangers associated with going to the surface below to harvest lumber, even for short periods of time.

The Spires now have continuous airship trade between one another, though the ships can be threatened by air pirate raids, and the Spires are not always on the best of terms. Life in the Spires is fairly stable, and while the lower levels are plagued by poverty and crime, all prefer their current situation to trying to survive the surface.

The strangest thing in the Spires is the Etherialists, a group of individuals that appear to have been created by the abundance of Etheric Crystals. Exposure to the energy has, over time, resulting in certain individuals being able to control “Etheric Flow” which they claim exists in all things, though it is most strong in Etheric Crystals. They have been rumored to be able to do anything from fly to shoot lightning from their fingertips. Also, their power appears to have a strange affect on their mental state, as they are at best very odd, and at worst completely insane. Some view Etherialists with superstition, while others think of them as little more than Etheric Engineers that get to skip the machine-building phase. Because in all reality, is flying and shooting lightning any stranger than airships and Etheric cannons?

.....

I am so excited to get this one out! I was only introduced to Steampunk recently (I had heard of it before of course, but I have never seriously thought about it) through a book series called the Cinder Spires, but I have grown to love it. This is a Steampunk/Fantasy world with plenty of opportunities for adventure. Airship smugglers? A group of adventures braving the dangers of the surface for relics of humanity’s ancient past? Sky pirates? A band of Etherialists hunting down members of their order that have gone mad? So many possibilities!

There is one type of magic in this world, Etherialism, though it is a fairly versatile form of magic. Instead of wands or staffs, Etherialists use Etheric Crystals to focus their power, which can mean anything from a cane topped with an Etheric Crystal to Etheric Gauntlets, which can also be used to discharge blasts of Etheric energy. I’m debating whether to use Intellect or Willpower as the stat for this one.

There are various races/species that have evolved from their human ancestors. They are:

1. Humans. They have kept the main traits of their ancestors and are pretty much unchanged.
2. Ogres. These are the ones that were most affected by the radiation left over from humanity’s war with the monsters of the surface. Their grey skin and wart-covered skin is definitely not pretty, but their greater size and strength provides an obvious advantage over most humans (higher Brawn). While many think of them as dull brutes, ogres are actually just as smart as anyone else. However, their words often come out slurred, and that, paired with their appearance, makes them not the best in social situations (lower Presence).
3. Gnomes: Much shorter than the average human (Sil 0), Gnomes are the descendants of those that hid in the catacombs beneath the Spires. While it is commonly believed that the man who discovered Etheric Crystals was a human, Gnomes stubbornly declare to this day that he was one of them. Whether this is true or not, no one can debate that they are masters of Etheric technology. While small and weak (lower Brawn), their minds have few rivals (higher Intellect).
4. Warriorborn: No one is sure how the Warriorborn came to be. However, their incredible speed and agility (higher Agility, duh) makes them highly valued soldiers, guardsmen, and adventurers. Their distinctive feature is their cat-like eyes and greater than average height, but they could easily pass for human with their eyes covered.

Any questions or comments are appreciated!

Who would be interested in doing an OmniSphere campaign, or maybe helping me work out the rules, gear, talents and etc for my OmniSphere write-up?

The version 2.0 pdf for Earth Delta is complete! Check it out! This is just the first of the worlds I will be creating for Genesys!

Version 1.0 of Earth Beta is now available! Check it out!

I've got Nightmare Earth available now! Check it out and tell me what you think!

So, I've always been a big thinker, never content with small projects. I just had an idea that I think could be really great, but I want all of your feedback on it, because this is not something I can do on my own. I want to create a community of content creators, all working together to create a true multiverse for Genesys. We could work together to make the OmniSphere not just a small collection of worlds I created, but the combined efforts of multiple creators, enabling the characters in the OmniSphere to travel to dozens of worlds and universes. What do you guys think? I would need a core group of people to build this thing, maybe make a wiki for it... Thoughts? Ideas? Anyone interested in being a part of this?