TEXT: EN World EN5idEr | Anatomy of an Alien World
   
  writing Jeff Gomez
   color art Phil Stone
   
  editing Felipe Real
   
  layout Eric Life-Putnam
  S
  ometimes your PCs land  
   a little far afield. Alien worlds 
  are perfect when a teleportation 
  spell goes awry or a mysterious por-
  tal leads to who-knows-where. They 
  are also useful when an exploratory 
  ship lands on a distant coast.
  Use the following tables to gen-
  erate a bizarre and novel world for 
  your adventurers.
  ANATOMY OF AN 
  ALIEN 
  WORLD
  
  Anatomy of an Alien World | EN World EN5idEr
  Open Game Content | The game rule information 
  in this article is designated Open Game Content. All other 
  material in this article, including maps and illustrations 
  (including illustrations in the public domain), in-character 
  and out-of-character narrative and descriptive text, 
  character and place names, trade dress, “EN Publishing,” 
  “EN World,” “EN5ider,” EN Publishing product 
  and article titles, and  EN World and EN Publishing 
  logos, are designated Product Identity.
  Topography
  What is the general topography of this world? If the 
  world is vast and varied, then what is the first land-
  scape a visitor might encounter?
  Roll on or choose from the following table to de-
  termine the primary topography.
  Even numbers mean that there is an extensive 
  underground.
  d20
  Topographical Feature
  1–2
  Endless Ocean
  3–4
  Islands
  5–6
  Shallow Lakes
  7–8
  Plains
  9–10
  Hills
  11–12
  Mountains
  13–14
  Cliffs and Valleys
  15–16
  Floating Land Masses 
  17–18
  Infinite Caves
  19–20
  Infinite Flooded Caves
  Average Temperature
  Different climates may bring changing days and 
  seasons. Yet the world still averages a particular 
  temperature.
  Roll on or choose from the following table to 
  identify an average temperature.
  d20 Temp
  1
  0° F
  2
  20° F
  3
  30° F
  4
  35° F
  5
  40° F
  d20 Temp
  6
  45° F
  7
  50° F
  8
  55° F
  9
  60° F
  10
  65° F
  d20 Temp
  11
  70° F
  12
  75° F
  13
  80° F
  14
  85° F
  15
  90° F
  d20 Temp
  16
  95° F
  17
  100° F
  18
  110° F
  19
  120° F
  20
  140° F
  EN
  EN
  Publishing
  Publishing
  ™
  Life Level
  Some worlds are teeming with life, while others are 
  as barren as a desert.
  Roll on or choose from the following table to seed 
  the world with life.
  d20
  Life
  1–5
  Desolate. Such as a desert, tundra, or open 
  sea. Life is rare here, except in select oasis.
  6–10
  Small Population. Such as a plain, or 
  high mountains. There is enough food and 
  material if one has the skill to find it.
  11–15
  Large Population. Such as a forest, 
  coastline, or coral reef. Life is easy, with fruit 
  on every vine.
  16–20
  Teeming. Such as a jungle or swamp. 
  Plenty of predators and competition makes 
  acquiring the litany of resources challenging.
  Dominant Species
  This may be a rich and diverse world, but one spe-
  cies or class of species dominate the land.
  Roll on or choose from the following table to 
  identify the dominant species.
  d20 Creature Type
  1
  Aberration. Such as aboleth, deep walker, elder 
  thing, ettercap, flumph, froghemoth, gibbering 
  mouther, gug, intellect devourer, rust monster, or 
  will-o’-wisp.
  2
  Animal. Such as bat, dinosaur, dolphin, elephant, 
  frog, hyena, porcupine, rabbit, shark, turtle, 
  walrus, or weasel.
  3
  Construct. Such as animated object, clockwork 
  soldier, colossus, golem, homunculus, 
  taxidermies, or wyrwood.
  4
  Dragon. Such as dracolisk, dragon turtle, drake, 
  jabberwock, pseudodragon, wyvern, or any 
  number of true dragons.
  5
  Fey. Such as atomie, bogeyman, boggart, 
  brownie, faun, gremlin, kelpie, leprechaun, 
  nymph, redcap, spring-heeled jack, sprite, tooth 
  fairy, and witch-lights.
  
  EN World EN5idEr | Anatomy of an Alien World
  d20 Creature Type
  6
  Humanoid (Dwarf). Proud (but short) 
  humanoids under the mountain with a lust for 
  gold and a penchant for honor. 
  7
  Humanoid (Elf). Snobby or wild (but tall) 
  humanoids who live in forests or advanced cities 
  and study the arcane.
  8
  Humanoid (Gnome). Strange, humanoids from 
  another world with magical tendencies and 
  unusual senses of humor. 
  9
  Humanoid (Goblin or Kobold). Low creatures 
  full of mischief and malice with a preference for 
  underground domains.
  10
  Humanoid (Halfling). Jolly little humanoids 
  with a courageous spirit and a love of simple 
  pleasures.
  11
  Humanoid (Human). Ambitious, versatile 
  humanoids with the ability to adapt to all 
  environments and situations.
  12
  Humanoid (Orc). Warlike, aggressive humanoids 
  with a preference for violence and tribal warfare.
  13
  Humanoid (Other). Such as bugbear, catfolk, 
  changeling, dhampir, drow, duergar, giants, 
  grippli, kitsune, lizardfolk, strix, svirfneblin, or 
  wayang.
  14
  Magical Beast. Such as bandersnatch, basilisk, 
  blink dog, cockatrice, firebird, giant eagle, 
  gorgon, hydra, leng spider, manticore, owlbear, 
  phase spider, or siren. 
  15
  Monstrous Humanoid. Such as centaur, 
  crabman, deep one, doppelganger, fen witch, 
  gargoyle, hag, harpy, nightgaunt, scorpionfolk, 
  or yeti.
  16
  Ooze. Such as carnivorous blob, color out of 
  space, ectoplasm, gelatinous cube, hungry 
  fog, brain ooze, carnivorous crystal ooze, black 
  pudding, or shoggoth.
  17
  Outsider. Such as angels, axiomite, chaos beast, 
  daemons, demodand, devils, divs, unfettered 
  eidolon, genie, ifrit, nightmare, protean, 
  psychopomp, undine, or valkyrie.
  18
  Plant. Such as assassin vine, bog creeper, corpse 
  lotus, fungus man, gallows tree, green man, 
  jack-o’-lantern, kelpie, russet mold, shambling 
  mound, or vegepygmy.
  d20 Creature Type
  19
  Undead. Such as carrion storm, crawling hand, 
  crypt thing, deathweb, demilich, draugr, ghost, 
  ghoul, lich, mummy, poltergeist, revenant, 
  skeleton, vampire, or zombie.
  20
  Vermin. Such as ant, bee, beetle, centipede, 
  cockroach, crab, dragonfly, flea, jellyfish, lobster, 
  locust, mosquito, slug, spider, tick, or wasp.
  Civilization Level
  How advanced are the dominant species? How well 
  can it exert its influence over others? What techno-
  logical or arcane advancements has it achieved?
  Roll on or choose to determine the civilization’s 
  advancement. 
  Even numbers mean the current inhabitants built 
  this civilization on the ruins of a more advanced 
  one.
  d20
  Civilization
  1–6
  No Civilization. This world is pre-civilization. 
  The predominant species may group together 
  in herds. They may speak to each other in a 
  basic language.
  7–8
  Stone Age. The predominant species uses 
  rudimentary clubs and spears. They live in 
  tribes and communicate in complex languages 
  with robust myths.
  9–10
  Agriculture Age. People use soft metals as 
  tools. Tribes have evolved into permanent 
  towns around agricultural fields.
  11–12 Writing Age. People write down information, 
  stories, and contracts on papyrus and clay 
  tablet. Powerful city-states form.
  13–14 Early Empire Age. Political, social, and 
  religious structures are strong enough to 
  accommodate large states. There are empires 
  of hundreds of cities.
  15–16 Medieval Age. Advanced metalworking and 
  political structures are the norms, with large, 
  well-equipped armies. Social stratification is 
  extreme. Political and religious institutions 
  drive both scientific and cultural advancement.
  
  Anatomy of an Alien World | EN World EN5idEr
  d20
  Civilization
  17–18 Industrial Age. People embrace advancement. 
  Arcane or scientific discoveries make life easier 
  on a daily basis. Machines produce items on a 
  large scale and replace many occupations.
  19–20 Information Age. Electricity or a similar 
  substance provides information transfer 
  throughout the globe. Communication is 
  instantaneous. Combat has morphed into 
  something distant and strange.
  Dominant Element
  Sometimes a single element or alignment infuses 
  the world. The magic of that element operates at a 
  higher caster level. This impedes any magic from 
  an opposite element. 
  Roll on or choose from the following table to 
  identify a dominant element.
  d20
  Element
  1–10 No Dominant Element. This world has no 
  dominant element.
  11
  Air. Air magic is dominant, which impedes earth 
  magic. Many creatures can fly, and some take 
  gaseous form.
  12
  Earth. Earth magic is dominant, which impedes 
  air magic. Creatures are strong and bulky, and 
  the ground contains many gemstones.
  13
  Fire. Fire magic is dominant, which impedes 
  water magi. Flames burn without consuming 
  fuel, and far too many creatures breathe fire.
  14
  Water. Water magic is dominant, which impedes 
  fire magic. Most creatures can swim in the many 
  lakes and rivers.
  15
  Negative. Negative energy floods this world. 
  Living creatures take a small amount of damage 
  each round unless they can find a refuge. The 
  negative energy heals undead creatures.
  16
  Positive. Positive energy floods this world. 
  Undead creatures take a small amount of 
  damage each round unless they can find a 
  refuge. This energy heals living creatures.
  17
  Law. This world is orderly and stable.
  d20
  Element
  18
  Chaos. This world is random and frenetic. 
  19
  Good. The inhabitants of this world are civic-
  minded, fair, and eager to help.
  20
  Evil. The inhabitants of this world are cruel, self-
  centered, and enjoy harming others.
  Bizarre Aspects
  Some worlds have strange or bizarre aspects which 
  set them apart from all others.
  Roll on or choose from the following table to dis-
  cover a bizarre aspect.
  d20
  Aspect
  1–10 Nothing. This world has no special magic, 
  gravity, or chronological aspects.
  11
  Dead Magic. Neither magical spells nor magical 
  items function in any way.
  12
  Enhanced Magic. Magic is more powerful in 
  some way (it may operate at a higher caster 
  level).
  13
  Impeded Magic. It is challenging to cast most 
  magic (it may demand Concentration checks). 
  Magic which matches the elemental alignment 
  of the world is exempt.
  14
  Wild Magic. Magical spells have extra, wild 
  effects outside the caster’s control.
  15
  Heavy Gravity. Everything is more challenging 
  in a world where weight increases, particularly 
  movement.
  16
  Light Gravity. Leaping and carrying heavy items 
  is a breeze in a light gravity world.
  17
  No Gravity. Worlds without gravity can be fatal 
  to those accustomed to gravity’s familiar tug.
  18
  Fast Time. A day in the world is a week (or 
  longer) out of the world. Careful that time does 
  not get away from you.
  19
  Slow Time. A week in the world is a day (or 
  shorter) out of the world. It is the perfect place 
  to pause and regroup.
  20
  Timeless. Time does not pass in this world. 
  Creatures do not age, buildings do not fall to 
  ruin, and sickness does not progress.
  
  EN World EN5idEr | Anatomy of an Alien World
  Other Details
  Often other details color a world more than the 
  overarching factors.
  Roll on or choose from the following table to 
  identify other details.
  d20 Detail
  1
  A deep, permanent fog suffuses every inch of this 
  world.
  2
  Multiple suns are visible in the sky of this world. 
  Nighttime is either very short or nonexistent.
  3
  Everything is very large here. Visitors appear as 
  Lilliputians.
  4
  Everything is very small here. Visitors appear as 
  giants.
  5
  Incorporeal creatures float around the world, 
  unperturbed by any goings-on.
  6
  Plants and animals grow and evolve at a rapid 
  pace. Sometimes their entire lifespans last only a 
  few days.
  7
  The acid rains and fog in this world make shelter 
  an absolute necessity.
  8
  The air is thick here. Moving through it is like 
  moving through water.
  d20 Detail
  9
  The bones of giant creatures dot the landscape.
  10
  The creatures of this world have evolved magical 
  runes into the patterns on their flesh.
  11
  The sky changes colors throughout the day, from 
  pink to green to orange and back again.
  12
  The stars at night give more heat than the sun.
  13
  The vast majority of this world, including the soil 
  and creatures, are made of metal or crystal.
  14
  The wind howls at all times.
  15
  The world itself is living but is far too large to care 
  about individual specks on its back.
  16
  There is no sun and no daylight in this world. 
  Plants and other creatures make do in other 
  unique ways.
  17
  This world is a hub, and many creatures from 
  various worlds pass through it.
  18
  Everything here is edible, including the rocks and 
  soil.
  19
  Everything here is poisonous to outsiders, except 
  for the air.
  20
  Water freezes at a much higher temperature or 
  boils at a much lower temperature.
  e
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/EN World EN5ider/EN5ider 227 - Alien Worlds.pdf