You know it is probably a very good thing that our ragtag group of RPGC heroes haven’t had to deal with a proper disaster… yet.
We probably could handle one, since we have enough powerful heroes. We would just have to call them all together first, which could be the tricky bit. Hey maybe we should get some sort of RPGC communication device, or something… Nah, people would just end up using it for pranks and stuff.
*** And so, another morning in the RPGC Task Force HQ…
Galloway: So, how are things. No disasters during the night?
GG: Nope
Pierson: Negative, although I did have to check if we had any coffee left in the cupboards to prevent one in the morning.
demigod: I don’t sleep, mortal.
Galloway: Riiiight… so how about you, blue boy?
Mabatsekker: I HAD SOME ¤"#&"#%"#% CALL ME FIFTEEN TIMES ON THE DAMN WRIST ALERT ON NIGHT DUTY AND THEY ALL WERE PRANK CALLS! downs a family size bottle of 50% Fish Shot
Galloway: snicker but we have to check every possible threat there might be… hums innocently
So Legend of Gaia took place in this world? Did the Comet ever hit?
When I say that my RPGC has not had to deal with a disaster, I don’t mean the causes of it, I mean the long-range effects. I’m pretty sure we can beat anybody, even gods, if we put our minds to it. But things like plagues, hunger, economic collapse, etc. aren’t things you can just beat to death. We HAVE averted some of them from happening by a small margin, though.
You know planning out the events for what happens in New York and Japan would intself fill out a timeline.
True, but I’m not going to include EVERY little detail; I only want the timeline to be a point of reference, so you can tell where and when each game happened in relation to the rest.
Btw, I’ve decided to delay the timeline for now. It’s halfway done, but I’ve found out that Earth gets referenced in more RPGs than I expected, so I still need to do some extra research. But it’s coming, don’t worry.
So instead, today I bring you:
THE GUIDE TO INTERDIMENSIONAL TRAVEL
An Interdimensional Traveler -or dimensional, for short- is anybody who finds himself traveling across universes (not always of his own volition.) The majority are adventurers who are looking for fun, power or riches. Not all are heroic, of course. Let’s look at the things such people must take in consideration.
There are many ways you can travel across dimensions, of course. But (at least in the RPG Multiverse) the most common is the dimension known as the Crossroads.
The Crossroads is a world that is… pretty much empty. The only things you’ll find there are portals. There are portals to EVERY world in the multiverse there. You just have to find the one you want. Which, unless you happen to KNOW where it is, can take years of searching.
Actually that’s not enough. First of all, the portal has to be “open”. The ability to USE a portal and the ability to OPEN it are NOT the same thing. In fact, you can have one but not the other! Portals tend to open and close randomly on their own. Most portals you find open in the Crossroads have actually been opened by someone in the other side- often without even realizing what they have done! Each world tends to have dozens of portals, and they can lead ANYWHERE, from a back alley in a little nowhere town to the treasure vaults of really short-tempered dragons. Fortunately, most portals are INVISIBLE, unless (again) you have the ability to see them. (This is why dimensional travel is not more common.)
Note: in my stories, the portals are the games’ SAVING POINTS! That’s right, I actually found a use for them in-story! Mwahahahaa!!)
So how can you tell where a portal leads to? If you can see the portal, you can see THROUGH it (it’s a hole, after all) and take a good look at where it leads. Of course, appearances are deceiving. Maybe the portal you are looking through leads to a very rich Manhattan apartment… in a world undergoing a Zombie Apocalypse. You pay your money and you take your chances. Warning: some portals actually cross TIME, leading you into the past or future. There is usually no way to tell a time portal from the rest, but fortunately they’re very rare.
-The first thing any Dimensional should do, as soon as he arrives in another universe, is to find out how the local physical and magical rules affect his abilities. Test them right away! In most cases, magic will work OK unless it uses elements not found in that world. Summons, in particular, tend not to work on other planes. (In game terms: your abilities will work as long as a similar spell or ability exists in that game.) If you are a spellcaster who finds himself short-shrifted on another world, it is recommended that you learn the local sorceries as soon as possible.
Physical abilities tend not to be affected much. No, you won’t start over as a 1st Level character! However, some worlds have some really odd physics. In particular, gravity tends to act in crazy ways in some worlds- thus the many floating continents adventurers run into. The Mushroom World (setting for the Super Mario RPGs) is a particularly odd example…
-The next thing a Dimensional needs to do is BLEND IN. Fortunately, humans and humanoids are pretty common all over. But if you have differences in looks or mode of dress from the locals, it’s best to disguise yourself ASAP. Remember: most civilizations DO NOT KNOW about the Multiverse (much less the Omniverse) and going around talking about it is a sure way to get into trouble. Be sure to make up a story about your origins as soon as you can. “Me? Uh, I come from the Outer Colonies…”
-Strangely enough, language doesn’t seem to be much of a barrier. English (and a few other Earth languages) seems to have spread across many worlds! But you’ll occasionally still come across alien languages. Looking for a good translator can sometimes be a vital mission. (Hymmnos, a language invented for AR Tonelico, is a good example.)
-Any smart dimensional will also inquire -as quietly as possible- what kind of troubles are going on in that particular area. Even if you are no hero, it pays to know if a war, a monster invasion, or some other situation that you might be caught in is taking place or may happen soon.
-Note that money is WORTHLESS across worlds. With a few exceptions, most coinage is just not accepted on other planets. So in almost all cases, you’ll have to start making your fortune all over again on each world you visit. Most dimensionals offer their services as mercenaries, slaying monsters, or sell off items they carry. Or just go into dungeons to find treasure. Of course safer employment is often available as well, if you’d rather just settle down.
-Finally, keep in mind that, if you are in the wrong world, you don’t legally exist there. If the local civilization keeps public records, and you attract any attention to yourself, somebody is going to wonder why you are not listed, and that almost always leads to trouble. This is usually only a problem in modern civilizations, most medieval worlds don’t present this problem. Note also that, if you have a counterpart on that world (which usually only applies to Parallel Earths) you WILL get mistaken for someone else if you aren’t careful enough. This can actually be useful if you don’t care what happens to your lookalike, but if he happens to be more powerful or influential than you are, or is a wanted criminal…
More Later
Heheh, dimensional travelling sounds like fun, caused by the infinite stupidity of everyone. =D So, good work Wil, keep it coming so us ravenous readers will get their fill. XD
An Overview of the Multiverse:
Now that we’ve explored the basic facts about the RPG Multiverse and how to travel around it, let’s take a look at what events are going on in it currently. Of course, there being hundreds of known worlds (and more waiting to be discovered) this will be limited to only cover a few popular ones. (Note: Earth will be covered in the Timeline section.) In no particular order:
SOL CIEL: This world has little land left- only about three landmasses, each held in the sky by a gigantic tower. This was the result of an ancient accident akin to a nuclear meltdown. Despite this, the lands are safe enough to explore. The two most notable facts about this world are the use of “symphonic power”, a combination of sound-based technology and song-based magic; and the Reyvateils, a genetically engineered race of women with innate Song Magic and cybernetic connections to the Towers. Various human groups treat the Reyvateils differently- from almost slaves to nearly objects of worship.
Most dimensionals visit this world to meet the enchanting Reyvateils. Using the virtual reality technology available here –which allows access to a Reyvateil’s subconscious mind, among other things- is another common goal. Note however, that you have to SING to use your magic spells here, which can be cumbersome in combat; also note that only Reyvateils are known to use spells (“songs”) meaning that male dimensionals have better keep their spellcasting abilities a secret if they don’t want to attract attention.
The RPGC is keeping an eye on this recently-discovered world, fearing that the Reyvateils might become a target for interdimensional slave trading by less moral dimensionals. Also, any major tampering with the Towers could destroy what’s left of the planet. (AR TONELICO game series)
CHRONO WORLD: This world is not a Parallel Earth, though there are several similarities in its history. Unfortunately, its timestream has been twisted by the actions of certain time travelers- two entire alternate realities are known to have already been created and erased on it, and it’s likely there are more. Although interesting for those looking to find means of traveling trough time, it is recommended that dimensionals avoid it, unless they want to risk getting caught in a time paradox. (CHRONO TRIGGER series)
GAIA WORLDS: This actually refers to several planets that exist in contiguous dimensions, being Parallels of each other. These are some of the best known (and explored) worlds among dimensionals; they’re visited in search of their abundant magic spells and items. Note however, that their strongest magic –Summon Spells- do NOT work on each other or most other planes (They do work on Earth, though.) Many RPGC members began their careers on them. (FINAL FANTASY series)
KINGDOM HEARTS UNIVERSE: Named after one of its portals (which leads to its center) this dimension, only recently discovered, is quite baffling to many people, since it seems to be composed mainly of worlds… based on Disney cartoons and movies?? Do not let their appearance fool you, though- these worlds ARE real, and you can get killed in them just as easily as in most others. Even stranger, it also contains one planet with counterparts to many persons from the Gaia Worlds, making some theorize that perhaps it was originally a Gaia World that some Second Generation god with a bizarre sense of humor decided to play around with. Whatever the case may be, this universe is currently being invaded by The Heartless, creatures of darkness that infest entire worlds. So far, they have been beaten back by a group of heroes lead by a little boy who was chosen by an ancient artifact called the Keyblade to wield it against the darkness. But the menace has only been contained, not defeated. RPGC agents are currently investigating whether the Heartless could become a menace to other universes as well. There is also the possibility that some unscrupulous dimensional might try to steal the Keyblade, as it possesses the ability to open ANY portal. (KINGDOM HEARTS series)
MANA WORLD: This beautiful, fragile world has been known about for years. It is sustained by the huge Mana Tree, which was originally a Third Generation goddess who took such a form to protect the world. Sadly, the tree is very vulnerable, and if it dies, it must be replaced –by another being taking the goddess’ place- or the world will die. This has happened already at least once in its history. The tree is a tempting target for extradimensionals who could loot it for its magical materials and then escape the consequences. RPGC keeps a good vigil on it because of that. (MANA series)
MUSHROOM WORLD: Also known among dimensionals as the “Super Mario World” after Mario, one of the very first dimensional adventurers- a plumber from Brooklyn who found a portal to it in, of all places, the New York City sewers. He stayed there (along with his brother Luigi) and has become a local hero. The world itself is among the strangest known, both in appearance and its physical laws (lots of gravity-twisting areas here, and bizarre talking lifeforms.) Most of its dangers are relatively easy to deal with (but don’t underestimate them- again, this world is NOT a cartoon, if you die there, you die for real) making it a popular spot for dimensionals, especially since the locals know about the existence of the Multiverse. Mario himself is on good terms with several RPGC members. (SUPER MARIO RPG games)
POKEMON WORLD: A world that looks a lot like modern-day Earth, but it’s not. Most notably, instead of normal animals they have superpowered equivalents called Pokemon. The humans of this world have integrated Pokemon into their societies to the point that even their children are encouraged to go out by themselves to catch and tame them! (Fortunately, they’re helped by their advanced technology, which combines teleportation and the internet in amazing ways, though otherwise they are not that much more advanced than we are.) It must be noted that, despite what many believe, Pokemon are NO more sentient than average animals (with a few exceptions) so RPGC does not oppose their capture and trade, even off-world. They are quite popular pets among dimensionals, in fact. (POKEMON RPGs)
SUIKO WORLD: A world resembling medieval China, this planet is beset almost constantly by wars- and that is not humanity’s fault, this time: magical “tattoos” –actual a form taken by ancient gods- known as “Runes” grant certain persons great powers, but also manipulate their destinies towards conflict. A local legend states that “108 Stars” (heroes) will gather to help end the wars, and this has seemed to be the case, several times- only for the cycle to star again. RPGC is worried about this but hasn’t found a way to end the “curse” –if that’s what it is- yet. Certain dimensionals have tried to steal the runes for themselves, but the Runes won’t let themselves be taken offworld for long; catastrophe is certain to follow. (SUIKODEN series)
THE REGIONS: A universe containing several planets that form an interplanetary civilization. It is actually the remains of an even more advanced civilization that destroyed itself thousands of years ago during a huge war; its ruins and artifacts can still be found today, and in fact at least one of its worlds makes a living digging them up. Interplanetary travel is free. Technology, culture and types of magic vary greatly from world to world (with some of the culture suspiciously resembling those of Earth.) Humans actually coexist freely with other sapient species –including Meks (robots), Mystics (faeries) and “Monsters” (shapeshifters.) The availability of magic and advanced technology makes this universe a popular place for dimensionals. There are many dangerous organizations at work here, though, ranging from secret organizations to fanatical cults. The IRPO (Inter Regional Police Organization) a multiracial law-enforcement force, does its best to keep the order. (SAGA FRONTIER)
MIDGARD: Named after the Norse word for Earth, this world is indeed home to the Norse gods, and its culture is still medieval. It is not a true parallel, however. Recently this world suffered Ragnarok- the prophesied battle that would destroy the World- but was recreated by a powerful Valkyrie, in a not too different form. RPGC tends to stay away from this world, out of fear of provoking its gods, but one the group’s members, Valkyrie Esker, has strong ties to it. (VALKYRIE PROFILE series)
FILGAIA WORLDS: Not to be confused with the Gaia Worlds, this is a separate cluster of parallel dimensions. They’re noteworthy for their cultural resemblance to 19th Century Earth –especially the American Wild West- though the local technology is actually more advanced –in some cases, as much as ours- AND they also have magic. Curiously, most of these worlds are desertic, usually due to human meddling. They are a source of powerful weapons known as ARMS, though some of them are owner-specific. Often visited by dimensionals on a “Western” kick. Keep in mind though, that despite appearances these are NOT lawless lands, and doing things like robbing banks or trains is going to get you arrested (unless you escape to another world.) RPGC keeps an eye for such evil “drifters”, though. (WILD ARMS series)
AAAAND that’s all I can think for now, folks. But hey, feel free to add your own suggestions! (I don’t know ALL RPGs, you know!) 
Hmm, seems you’ve played alot of RPGs, but I see you forgot the Tales Dimension and Terranigma Dimension and Star Ocean Dimension and Baten Kaitos Dimension.
Tales Dimension:The dimension all the Tales series takes place(you can go into greater detail if you wish).(Games in this category are:Tales of Phantasia(SNES), Tales of Symphonia(GC/PS2), Tales of Destiny(or Destinia, can never remember that)(PS), Tales of Destiny(same thing) 2(PS or PS2, can’t remember right now), Tales of Vesperia(360) and probably more that I don’t know).
Terranigma Dimension:It’s actually the dimension of three RPGs, Soul Blazer(NES), Illusion of Gaia(SNES) and Terranigma(SNES). If you haven’t played these games, SHAME ON YOU FOR MISSING OUT ON THEM!!! (I have Illusion of Gaia for my SNES and I’ve played the other two on ROMs). Seriously, they are linked together(though strangely), and they are a great series. 
Star Ocean Dimension:The setting place for the Star Ocean series(Star Ocean 1-4, there may be more to them).
Baten Kaitos Dimension:The setting place for the events of Baten Kaitos(Baten Kaitos:Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean, Baten Kaitos Origins, both are on the GC, not sure about other systems).
And those are my two cents.
Lunar, Lufia, Legend of Zelda and Symphony of the Night(Castlevania) make good suggestions.
Lunar has Althena, whom you mentioned…
Legend of Zelda is known among many.
Lufia is a world where a goddess of death fell in love with a great warrior and betrayed her fellow gods to save the planet. It is similar to “Gaia worlds”.
Symphony of the Night probably takes place on Earth…
There is another RPG called Urak, where magic is extremely pervasive. There are eight religions. Fire, Earth, Wind, Water, Death, Life, Order and Chaos… All have their allies and enemies, and the god Golgoth, the mighty deity of death and slaugther has begun wars on the world. Merlin, was born in another world in the same universe however, in the Order faith, called Logres, which is a much larger form of Britain. It is unknown how powerful Golgoth is, but if he returns again, then RPG task forces should be careful. It is notable, however, that the last time he died, he didn’t appear again until a thousand years passed. Merlin, of Logress(and not of the Disney version) is a strong ally of the Task Force.
I’ll take those two cents!
-Of the Tales series, I have only played Tales of Destiny and Tales of Legendia. There doesn’t seem to be much connection between them other than the titles (while FF, for example, has several running themes on its games.) I intend to play more Tales games, though, so I’ll find out more about them, hopefully soon.
-Geez, how could I forget Lunar and Zelda?? (But Zelda I have never played, so I got nothin’ on it right now.) I will prepare a Lunar entry soon.
-I also knew about the Terranigma-related games, but again, never played them (Hey, I played RPGs only on my Playstation 1 and 2!) But I AM researching them.
-Star Ocean takes place on Earth’s future, so that goes in the Timeline section. Likewise, Castlevania goes in the past.
-Baten Kaitos I know nothin’ about. Uncle must do reeeeesearch! 
Thanks for the suggestions and ideas, folks! Keep them coming!! :biggrin:
Very cool entry on the dimensions Wil.
And if you wanted I’m sure someone who has had more experience with the Zelda series could come up with an entry for it if you wanted… in fact I’ve played a lot of them, so I’ll have a shot and see what I can come up with.
Be my guest, HS!
And here’s an entry for the LUNAR games!:
LUNAR UNIVERSE: This dimension is best known for two planets, Lunar (aka as The Silver Star) which is actually a moon, and The Blue Star, the planet Lunar revolves around. Thousands of year ago, humans lived on the Blue Star, but it became infected by Zophar, the god of evil. A goddess named Althena defeated Zophar but could not restore the planet, it would take thousands of years for it to become “pure” again. So Althena transported the survivors to Lunar, after making that moon inhabitable with her magic (except on its dark side, which is still barren) until they can return to their homeworld. Most Lunarians have forgotten these facts except as an old legend, however.
For some reason, Althena had to take human form at certain intervals, becoming a human girl with no memory of her true identity until maturity. She did create certain agents to protect Lunar in her absence and to restore the Blue Star when the time comes.
Lunar is otherwise very similar to the standard medieval world. It is famous for its magic-teaching schools, though its magic spells are not the most impressive in the multiverse. Still, dimensionals in a "Harry Potter’ kick often visit Lunar just to check out the schools.
Note that some of the portals to Lunar are actually time portals leading to different ages in its history. Because of this, care must be taken not to disrupt its history (by revealing facts from the future, for example) and to return using the same portals, unless you don’t mind returning to Earth 1000 years before you left! (LUNAR game series)
Here we go Wil, just created the Zelda description. Hopefully it should meet with your standards.
HYRULE: Originally created by three third generation goddesses, Din, Nayru and Farore. Its culture has never managed to develop past the medieval age. Hyrule is home to many different races, the main being Hylian, a mostly human race, with exceptionally pointy (elf like) ears, so dimensionals can usually walk around calmly without drawing attention.
Hyrule has been plagued through the ages by the evil forces of Ganon, who seeks the mystic Tri-Force, a powerful magic relic left behind by the goddesses. Whenever he comes close, a young hero rises up to defeat him, always in a green tunic wielding the Master Sword, and they have all been named Link.
Some evil dimensionals have also gone seeking the Tri-Force, whenever they do RPGC has stepped in to stop them.
While magic does exist in Hyrule, it is drawn from the power of the goddesses, and Great Fairies. So most dimensionals will find their magic won’t work, so will need a different way to defend themselves.
Hyrule is home to many pieces of unique equipment/items, like hookshots, that dimensionals have been known to go there seeking.
Due to certain events the timeline split into two, causing there to actually be two very similar Hyrule dimensions next to each other.
Portals leading here also travel through time, leading to the different ages of Hyrule’s history. However, except for a few extreme periods, Hyrule doesn’t change much over the ages, so dimensionals don’t have to worry about destroying the timeline too much. Especially since Hylian records aren’t that great, so it is hard to tell where which age comes in the grand scheme of things.
Note there is also a lesser known dimension, Termina, accidently created by Hyrule’s creation, that exists close to Hyrule’s dimension. (ZELDA series)
Excellent work, HS!! :biggrin:
Anybody else who wants to include his or her favorite game world here is welcome to do so, as well. Just remember to provide details such as: the name of the world (if given) the date it takes place in (mostly for games set in Earth’s universe), the reasons why dimensional travelers would want to go there (or avoid it), any peculiar magical effects, and the name of the game it’s from. 
Ok, now back to working on the Timeline!
I wonder if Disgaea has enough games to count as its own dimension yet?
Oh also there is the Xenosaga/ Xenogears Universe… though kinda hard to say which was first or if aside from a few key simularities even connected.
Would you call Termina a different dimension? I thought Link got there riding (though I’ve stopped short of going to the moon, so I may be missing sekkrit game ending details).
Cait: I would just LOVE to include Disgaea. Just the afterlife implications alone would be a riot! Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find a cheap copy of any of the games (I’m under a strict “only below 20$” video game budget currently) so I’ve never been able to play them. I plan to research it later, but, if anyone who knows the game wants to do an entry here now, go for it!!
Both Xenosaga and Xenogears take place on the Earth Universe, just faaaaar in the future. They WERE originally supposed to be the same series, but copyrights probably prevent it. That of course, will not stop ME from putting them in the same universe. Expect to see them in the Timeline.
Rigmarole: I will admit that Majora’s Mask is one of the ones I have never played. But from what I know of it, it is set in another dimension, you apparently get teleported there when you first encounter the Skull Kid right at the start.
Every source I have come across, including Wikipedia, lists it as a different dimension, accidently created by the goddesses.
Plus considering that in Termina the moon has a very evil face, that is never seen in Hyrule. And is stuck in a time loop until the world is saved. Makes it seem very like it is another dimension.
Of course I could be completely mistaken.
also what about one shot RPG games like Threads of Fate, Vagrant story, Lost magic, and Legend of Dragoon?
Also would be nice to add Shining Force, or Gargoyles Quest.
and would Super Robot Taisen count? I mean that game is a cross over in itself. XP
Cait: EVERY RPG video game is part of this multiverse. I just focused on game series first because they’re better known and I can cover more territory that way. But yes, even the most obscure, one-shot RPG will be in there somewhere. My Timeline already includes several such examples (that’s why it isn’t finished yet- I’m doing a LOT of research for it!)
heh sorry just trying to think of every possible game to include. ^^;