Places

This is one of the tables I struggled with the most, mainly because I struggle with describing environments, and also because I'm not good at naming places. A handful of the names I think are really good, but several of them are super generic (e.g. Dogu Kingdom, Tartarian Kingdom...). If people have suggestions for better names for some of these, I would appreciate it!

Places (1d20)	Physical Description	Notable Lore	Additional Notes
1. Meridian System	A set of nodes connected by roads covering the eastern portion of the main continent. The meridian system concentrates much of the radiation in the world, which is harnessed by large land sailboats, trains, and other constructs along the road.	All major kingdoms are on meridian nodes, which are magically protected by much of the powerful creatures throughout the continent. Travel along the roads is likewise relatively safe, and travel that would otherwise take months by wagon may take only days.	While there are mutant villages off the system which interact with the kingdoms, there is far more uncharted space off the roads than on the system itself.
2. Nova Arkham	Over-developed with off-white, flat-looking industrial buildings and office parks. Many of these buildings are connected in a nigh-endless sprawl. The sprawl makes it difficult to gain perspective, making navigation difficult- designed like a casino. Interspersed are the largest modern structures in the meridian system, reaching the sky, and a hodge-podge of buildings with romantic pillars, baroque steeples, brutalist towers, and other mismatched styles.	The newest major kingdom, built on a new node produced by the Fey King. The only major kingdom without a formal class system, and where mutants are predominantly represented in government. The mix of architectural styles and taller buildings reflects its inter-cultural presence and modernity. However, it is very economically unequal, and increasingly leaning towards fascism.	Being diverse and an "international hub" makes this a good starting location for tabletop RPG campaigns.
3. Harlequinade Embassy	Rivers and streams run through the city. The architecture and aesthetic is a mix of renaissance Venetian, Americana (colonial/Georgian), on brutalist, cement foundations, and a brutalist panopticon in the center. At the top of the panopticon is a cement sculpture of a non-descript harlequinade head. A series of smaller panopticons of a similar design exist throughout the city. The foundations hide tripod-legs, and periodically the buildings will all at once uplift and rearrange themselves, either hopping or skittering, seemingly at random. This rearranging will occur when the panopticon yells: "SWITCH! IT! UP!"	At the southern tip of the continent, closest to Nova Arkham, but serves as the embassy for all of the major kingdoms. Even more recent than Nova Arkham, and not technically a meridian node (although it is only a short distance from the road).	It is clear that the Harlequinade are far more knowledgeable about the history of the world and far more advanced than they let on from the embassy alone. The embassy has been mostly generous and diplomatic with the major kingdoms, but most suspect that the Harlequinade have some grander and more sinister goal.
4. Dogu Kingdom	Covered in a soft, steamy-pollution haze. The buildings are colorful and exotic, with pagodas, arched shrines, and onion domes, utilizing clockwork and chain-link technologies and magics which rotate on extradimensional and imaginary planes turning paradoxically. Also utilizes steam and direct current electricity. The kingdom was built on the ruins of a prior, positronic civilization, and they still maintain positronic pylons which serve as both advanced defensive turrets, as well as a data network hub.	Has a class system assigned at a young age determined mainly by aptitudes towards invention, alchemy, engineering, and other pursuits of applied knowledge. High social equality despite class system, due to strong social welfare programs. Only major kingdom in which slavery is illegal (although indentured servitude is still legal). Overall quality of life below average due to food shortage, corruption, and nepotism.	The positronic pylon network gives them a large advantage in defense, and its value as an information hub is unrivaled by the other major kingdoms. Has a large kobold minority.
5. Deino Kingdom	Sophisticated biodome, bioengineering, and environmental protection technologies and magics, but otherwise less technologically or magically advanced as the other meridian kingdoms. Elements of austere and brutalistic palaces and gothic, steepled buildings. Many turrets and tall buildings suitable for aether tactics. Kept warm and somewhat muggy.	Philosophically Zen Fascist. The development of the state always comes first. A rigid class system, but relatively little class disparity. However, non-deino tend to find the deino kingdom unbearably oppressive, and the primarily mutant slave class are treated poorly. Only the most exceptional mutants thrive in the deino kingdom.	Other than for a rebellion/resistance style story, the deino kingdom might be a difficult starting place for a campaign. It is better served as an antagonistic or cold war-style location.
6. Tartarian Kingdom	Full of black stone structures with neon gems and crystal veins, carved into pyramids and other exotic and awe inspiring forms, supplemented by steam (and more recently diesel) powered structures and devices. Many buildings were constructed with non-euclidean geometries running through extra-dimensional spaces.	Has a class system assigned at a young age determined mainly by aptitudes towards math and basic science. Rigid but meritocratic. Resource-rich, overall high quality of life. Little care for environmental, political, or other grounded concerns.	Might be a bit difficult as a starting/primary location for a campaign, but less restricted/impractical than e.g. deino kingdom.
7. Tartarian Woods	Forest, swamp, and marshlands populated by tartarian and mutant villages. The trees are cursed by fey; twisted, gnarled, char-like or vantablack. Most of the "flora" besides the cursed trees are softly glowing, white, semi-translucent, crystalline plant- or coral-like invertebrates. The swamps and lakes are full of bioluminescent or inky algae-like creatures, giving them unique and identifying colorful features. Though often covered in a low fog, the sky is always clear and pure, and non-euclidean geometric patterns and auroras can be seen clearly in the sky, which mostly cannot be seen elsewhere.	A short ways off the meridian system. The villages are not directly associated with the kingdom. Although the villages are small and seemingly vulnerable, many of the woodsfolk are such talented hunters, warriors, daemon-summoners, and science-witches, that the kingdom generally leaves them alone. Rich in elemental resources and powerful magical and technological artifacts.	Mutant or tartarian players could be from one of these villages, and this could be a potentially good entry point for players with little knowledge of the setting, as their character could also reasonably not know much about the rest of the world.
8. Quenduin Desert	A massive desert region. Contains sands of various common and exotic colors, large portions of perfectly smooth, or rocky and cracked glass, and regions of unidentifiable technological detritus. Few creatures thrive in the desert, mostly impossible organisms, or organic life so strange as to be indistinguishable from the impossible.	There are few settled towns or villages even within the portions of the desert on the meridian system. Most of the quenduin and mutant tribes in the desert are nomadic. The quenduin do have a loose confederation, but do not generally identify as a kingdom.	Similar to the tartarian woods in terms of usefulness as a starting location for a campaign. Good for survivalist-style adventures.
9. The Wilds	Not a single place, but a sprawling network of lands off the meridian system. Vibrant, pastel, rainbow, neon, like a kids cartoon from the 1980's-90's. Full of exotic and surreal animal and plant life and lesser fey.	Though all the world is Weird and Wonderful, it is also full of Worry and Weariness. Except, that is, for the Wilds. It is the embodiment of the abstract concept of all that is Wonderful about the natural world, bare of civilization.	With the exception of certain lesser fey, it is generally not possible for impossible organisms to survive long in the Wilds, and likewise anything made of the ordinal elements or otherwise impossible in nature will become inert and break down over time.
10. Deep Time	Art Deco meets Googie meets Cyberpunk aesthetic. Objects in the environment look as though they've all been scrambled like reality blended through multiple asymmetric kaleidoscopic lenses. Objects pop in and out from different angles as though not on the same plane. Faces likewise scramble, as if features were cut from a photo and oddly repasted. When speaking, newspaper and magazine letter cutouts project, but the legibility and visual clarity of the words are relative to the degree of attention paid to them, such that inaudible conversations appear as ellipsis.	A "debug" universe outside the paraverse. Can coursely be used as a model of the paraverse. Those whom have been to Deep Time are, by definition, Paraversal beings- beings outside the paraversal algorithm whose actions, upon return, may change its nature. Home of the Dada-DA (Dada Defense Artists), a paraversal organization whose goal is to keep the paraverse safe.	Usually, I do not tell my players about the full nature of the paraverse, nor of Deep Time, at the beginning of the campaign, and instead let it be a big discovery / plot point. That being said, having players be Dada-DA from the get-go could be a good starting point for a campaign too.
11. The peculiar city for which, by intention, there is no name, or in any case has a name which is revealed only on a need-to-know basis, and as it happens you do not need to know (aka Deep Time City).	Tight, shikumen-style buildings made from a mixture of normal building materials and bone. The tight alleys and wall-like buildings make it difficult to get a sense of the larger city, but from the skyscrapers (greater than those in Nova Arkham) one can see that some of the taller buildings are giant skulls. Most of the "flaura" are actually invertebrate-like impossible organisms. Illuminated by impossible light, bathing everything in indescribable, paradoxical, chimeric colors.	Built on the remains of what are believed to be dead gods or titans, many of which have been incorporated into the city itself. Considered a "neutral zone" for any parties who might otherwise be in conflict in the paraverse. Because Deep Time is outside the paraverse, various species or civilizations extinct in the "present" are alive and well in Deep Time.	Contains a mix of lifeforms from throughout the paraverse (in time and space) and impossible organisms or other extra-dimensional or extra-universal beings.
12. Perdition	This suburb is mostly empty space and yellowing, poorly maintained grass. There are two main strips, as well as some houses, buildings, and parks vandalized and in disrepair throughout. The first main strip is the downtown. There are a few shops of questionable repute still open, but most of the buildings are empty. A few people walk down the street but not many; of those few, most look just a little shady, disturbed, or defeated. The second strip is a series of houses, which look like they may once have been decent, but now have broken or boarded windows and faded and peeled paint. A few people sit at their porch, doing drugs, listening to unpleasant music, or engaging in Weird activities.	The mutant community developed during an early exploratory/colonial period of Deep Time. A lot of money was poured into the town in the hopes of finding resources or other vague/misguided future plans, but eventually the funding fell through and the community has been stranded with no economy to speak of for nearly a generation in local "Deep" time. The local mutants are mostly humanoid, with pale skin and a vaguely ape-like appearance. The gangsters speak in a strange accent. Examples of dialect: "Hue" - Who're you? "Gon, yon blong he" - Go on, you don't belong here. "The non he froo" - There's nothing here for you. "Wegon ha prom?" - We gonna have a problem?	This is not necessarily the only suburb in Deep Time, although most will be similar. Should reek of hopelessness, emptiness, and broken dreams. Should feel isolated and isolating. If the players don't want to be there, you are doing it right.
13. Octopus Kingdom / Jellyfleet	Jellyfish of varying sizes and shapes have been bio-engineered by the octopi into form-fitting electrical bio-armour symbiotes, personal modes of transport, and gargantuan bio-electric cities. The octopi are not immune to the electrical tendrils of most of the jellies, but they are programmed to open for their owner or affiliated peoples.	In the open ocean, where movement is free in three-dimensions, one cannot stay still. The bio-engineering of the jellies allows the octopi to live comfortably and develop a civilization, while still freely traversing the ocean.	Keep in mind that the jellyfleet can be anywhere in the open ocean at any time, whatever the plot demands. It is also not necessarily the case that the entire fleet will be together. To the limited extent that the Meridian Kingdoms have interacted with the Octopi, it is actually not clear to what extent they are even a single kingdom.
14. Coral Forest-Fortresses	Bio-engineered forest-fortresses of a coral-like species throughout the ocean bed. In addition to their sturdiness and sharpness, the corals can project filaments with rapid-digesting enzymes to melt and consume intruders.	The coral forest-fortresses are nearly impenetrable as compared to the jellyfleet, but the forest can only support a small quantity of specific prey species. Most octopi use the forests only for mating, laying eggs, and raising young.	Should be hostile to any non-octopi or unaffiliated octopi. Few direct enemies besides octopi, but the environment is itself the biggest threat.
15. The Choir	A semi-perpetual / semi-maintained complex of sound-induced waves in the ocean, creating a barrier against enemies, maintaining direction and motion, transmitting information, and inducing cognitive states through neural entrainment.	As with the jellyfleet, the choir allows the dolphins to stay in motion while also being able to develop a stable civilization. By producing sounds at different frequencies they can transmit information, or send signals which entrain brainwaves for e.g. mood and sleep. Together, these phenomena support a dream-like cognitive and linguistic system.	The force of the waves themselves may be semi-visible, but The Choir as a "place" is recognizable more so by the mass of dolphins, or by its physical force or sound. As with the jellyfleet, personal or small-scale choirs are possible, but less efficient and more temporary than the jellyfleet. That being said, the main choir is more stable and easier to maintain than the jellyfleet.
16. Blue Moon	A giant ocean of impossigen. The liquid forms in gyri and sulci, and other odd and a-logical or non-euclidean shapes along the surface and within the ocean. The atmosphere is thin with foamy, evaporating impossigen.	Without special equipment, only impossible organisms can survive on the blue moon. Additionally, the moon is home to the god Yagak-Sha and its "bees" and Deep Ones, making it hostile to all.	The three moons do not exist in the same physical dimensions as the world, instead they are more like wormholes connecting the world to another part of the paraverse. Things must be very desperate for the players to come here. They must need Yagak-Sha to do the impossible...
17. Red Moon	A red desert interspersed with stormy or twilight-colored patches of compressed astrium. The physical and astral planes are blurred here, creating a psychedelic and ever-changing landscape of warping dimensions and objects and spaces inverting and contorting, like pulling at the edges of a tesseract connecting to the vertices of a cube.	A place of objects-as-spaces and spaces-as-objects. As much an idea as a place. The Blu who reside there are comfortable with this way of being, but most others are not. There are no other flora or fauna strictly speaking, but one who can handle the inter-dimensionality of objects and spaces can learn to thrive on ideas themselves.	See first additional note for blue moon. Can be difficult to conceptualize. If the object/space relationship is unclear, one could take inspiration from mind-bending, psychedelic, or psychological works e.g. the astral plane in Grant Morrison's New X-Men, the last two episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion, the dreamscapes of Inception.
18. Green Moon	Its atmosphere is rich in noxium, leaving it in thick fog and tinting everything in greens along the impossible light spectrum. Reality itself waves as if tearing. Fat lines of light in intricate and symmetrical patterns snake through the air. Densely over-built by the anti-mutants, and what land has not been anti-urbanized is covered in fields of prasium.	Organic beings or other objects not in-phase with the noxium will be torn apart. Even impossible organisms not in some stage of anti-mutation cannot sustain themselves long. Given the nature of anti-mutants, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish large individuals from buildings. Although city-like, there is a certain symmetry and independence in design that is totally unlike the systems designed by normal organisms.	See first additional note for blue moon. Often times cosmic/existential horror focuses on impossible or atypical geometries and asymmetry. However, these are still systems, even if beyond our comprehension- what makes the anti-mutants so uncanny is how a-systemic they are. They are disturbingly perfect and symmetrical- each building appears as though it were designed in total independence, and yet is near-identical to everything around it. Utility in design as organic life would understand it does not exist.
19. Vortekka	A world surrounded by a vortex of multi-colored, shimmering, luminescent ocean dotted with islands. Has a land mass core of a series of disjointed plates floating in place. Life exists both on the plates, and on the inner-surface of the vortex. From the core, the sky appears like the inside of a massive surfing wave.	The centripetal and centrifugal forces between the vortex and core allow for gravity on both planes. After reaching a critical distance away from their respective source of gravity, objects are pulled in the opposite direction. This has created a three-dimensional ecosystem blurring the lines between land, air, and sea.	Vortekka is another dimension or universe interacting with Phantasmos at the bottom of a great lake. I had originally conceived of it as its own setting, and I still think it could easily work entirely independently of the main setting. Deosheba is one of the major gods of this world.
20. Carnopolis (aka Mimic City)	An ever-expanding city, far to the west of the meridian system, composed of shoglite "nanomachines". In parts appears "normal", while in other parts the slimy, gummy shoglite is exposed. The city can quickly re-arrange itself to take on different forms, compartmentalize areas, and populate itself with various sorts of mimic objects and mimic-drones. By encrypting information in its structure, can create "augmented/virtual-reality"-like spaces.	Most within the meridian system are not aware of Carnopolis. It is not known how long it has been growing. The post-apocalyptic-like civilizations within have limited records or ability to record history, but it would seem the city has existed for generations. All life (of what little life there is) is hunted by the mimics, who cannot be reasoned with.	As with Vortekka, this could very easily work as a setting unto itself. Keep in mind that the shoglite city can manipulate itself at such a fine-grain scale, that the distinction between physical reality and augmented/virtual reality is no longer meaningful. It is possible that some or all inhabitants are entirely or at least in part unknowingly shoglite (androids/cyborgs) themselves.