History TableTopGame / Spelljammer

* MacGuffinTitle: While a "spelljammer" is a genetic name for a ship, the setting is named after ''the'' Spelljammer, a legendary, sentient ship that everyone in the setting dreams of finding and commanding. Whoever succeeds will gain unimaginable power.

A 3rd edition remake of the setting appeared in an issue of ''Dungeon Magazine''. While thematically identical to the original Spelljammer (although with its own default campaign setting limited to a single system), it removes the Phlogiston/Crystal Spheres to replace them with the vacuum of space and star systems/galaxies, with the notable difference that suns are also portals the Elemental Plane of Fire with their own atmospheres and natural satellites (apparently magic still outright ''replaces'' physics). Additionally, a later issue of ''Dragon Magazine'' included 3rd edition versions of popular Spelljammer races. Other than that it was mostly abandoned (no proper products) and left to fans.

** Elven Imperial Navy are generally benign, but are haughty enough to annoy everyone else (Sindiath Line's readiness to receive less belligerent elves upkeeps this status quo). After which they are loudly aggrieved that it was ''Unhuman'' War.

* GoodGuyBar: The World Serpent Inn mentioned in several sourcebooks was built in its own demiplane by an archmage from [[ForgottenRealms Toril]], [[{{Spelljammer}} Arcane]] and [[{{Cthulhumanoid}} Illithid]] as a [[TruceZone neutral ground]] when Sigil turned out to be too violent and inconvenient for quiet business and rest. Not only is it connected to many worlds, but is accessible to powers, and some gods visit it to relax and chat with creatures they deem interesting. It's a GoodGuyBar since no one wants to annoy peacefully grazing deities, and some clients in a common room ''can'' turn out to be gods on a tea-break. And even if there aren't any, TheBartender is an avatar himself -- if some god just likes to meet new people and thinks it's funny, why not?

An ''Advanced TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' setting that adds up to D&D [[RecycledInSPACE in SPACE]]. It has a small but loyal following. Its origins are actually a good RealLife example of [[WhenLifeGivesYouLemons making lemonade]] when the PointyHairedBoss of a gaming company hands her writers lemons; really crafty writers realize that the only difference between "TheyJustDidntCare" and "ProtectionFromEditors" is ''[[SweetAndSourGrapes perspective]]''. See "[[http://grubbstreet.blogspot.com/2011/02/spelljamming-innnn-spppaaaaaace.html the secret history of Spelljammer]]" in Jeff Grubb's blog.

The year was 1989. It was a dark time for gaming. Although the influence of {{The Fundamentalist}}s upon gaming had diminished, the forces of TSR had fallen under the control of [[http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/539/539628p1.html Lorraine Williams]], who was forcing [[DoingItForTheArt talented and dedicated writers]] to turn out reams of crap. One piece of crap she demanded they create was a StandardSciFiSetting, believing she could cash in on a trend to squeeze yet more money from innocent gamers.

But the [[MagnificentBastard Magnificent]] writers hit upon a ZanyScheme; though they were [[CosmicDeadline denied time]] to [[ObviousBeta playtest the game]], they ''could'' cram the poor thing with as much {{Crazy Awesome}}ness as they could, as she wasn't paying attention to them. So was born ''{{Spelljammer}}'' - the most bizarre and wonderful setting ever seen in gaming.

Linking each of ''D&D'''s then-popular campaign settings together by means of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aether_theories the old Ptolemaic view of the cosmos]], the worlds of ''{{Greyhawk}}'', ''{{Dragonlance}}'', and the ''ForgottenRealms'' were (along with thousands of other worlds) stated to be contained in their own "crystal spheres", massive hollow balls large enough to contain a whole solar system. Some were heliocentric systems, sometimes geocentric, and some were [[WorldShapes flat worlds]] set upon the backs of great tortoises or other ''starbeasts''. Or something else entirely. The stars you see from your bedroom window are ''not'' other suns -- they're actually balls of light (or glowing gems) stuck to the interior of your world's crystal sphere. Unless, of course, you're in a sphere that got giant glowing ''beetles'' slowly crawling on its inside surface. [[AllMythsAreTrue It happens]].

''Spelljammer'' was utterly preposterous, didn't really care one whit about real-world astronomy or physics, and was completely aware of this. Never taking itself all that seriously, it was one of the few inherently ''[[RuleOfFun fun]]'' games that TSR was permitted to publish in those dark times. [[WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation I'm just going to list out of context some of the things that you will find in Spelljammer]] besides a deliciously crazy mish-mash of everything ''D&D'' had to offer: WeirdScience, {{Space Pirate}}s, [[BaldursGate Giant Space Hamsters]], [[BritishStuffiness Stuffy British]] [[OurElvesAreBetter Elves (who are of course Better)]], and [[OurGnomesAreWeirder Gnomes]] who [[ScienceRelatedMemeticDisorder think that catapults are a good replacement for staircases]]. If you're into [[RolePlayingGames [=RPGs=]]] and have a strong WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief, check out some of the old {{sourcebook}}s for a fun time - though you'll probably have to settle for a download from [[http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/ DriveThruRPG.com]]; Williams got her revenge on her disrespectful staff by refusing to publish more than a single run of the books during her tenure at TSR.

* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever: lots of, up to Giant Space Hamsters [[hottip:(you ''don't'' want to know): Including breeds like the Subterranean Giant Space Hamster, Sabre-toothed Giant Space Hamster, Rather Wild Giant Space Hamster, Invisible Giant Space Hamster, Sylvan (or Jungle) Giant Space Hamster, Miniature Giant Space Hamster (otherwise known as...a hamster; the breeding came full circle...), Armor Plated Giant Space Hamster, Yellow Musk Giant Space Hamster, Ethereal Giant Space Hamster, Carnivorous Flying Giant Space Hamster, Two-Headed Lernaean Bombardier Giant Space Hamster, Two-Faced Giant Space Lagan Hamster, Fire-breathing Phase Doppleganger Giant Space Hamster, Great Horned Giant Space Hamster, Abominable Giant Space Hamster, Tyrannohamsterus Rex, and the legendary Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen. ...See?]]

* MadArtist: The Reigar. [[PlanetOfHats Every last one]]. Add a spoon of MadScientist and two drops of ParodySue, shake until it tastes great and mildly scary.

''Spelljammer'' was utterly preposterous, didn't really care one whit about real-world astronomy or physics, and was completely aware of this. Never taking itself all that seriously, it was one of the few inherently ''[[RuleOfFun fun]]'' games that TSR was permitted to publish in those dark times. [[ZeroPunctuation I'm just going to list out of context some of the things that you will find in Spelljammer]] besides a deliciously crazy mish-mash of everything ''D&D'' had to offer: WeirdScience, {{Space Pirate}}s, [[BaldursGate Giant Space Hamsters]], [[BritishStuffiness Stuffy British]] [[OurElvesAreBetter Elves (who are of course Better)]], and [[OurGnomesAreWeirder Gnomes]] who [[ScienceRelatedMemeticDisorder think that catapults are a good replacement for staircases]]. If you're into [[RolePlayingGames [=RPGs=]]] and have a strong WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief, check out some of the old {{sourcebook}}s for a fun time - though you'll probably have to settle for a download from [[http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/ DriveThruRPG.com]]; Williams got her revenge on her disrespectful staff by refusing to publish more than a single run of the books during her tenure at TSR.

Spelljammer may be making a return trip in Fourth Edition: It's one of the settings they listed as possible to see print, and some Spelljammer content has made it into the Manual of the Planes (as a ship to sail the Astral Sea and to use to Plane Shift) and Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide (specifically referring to the crystal spheres and phlogiston).

Sadly, this was not to be, as as 4e ends there is no Spelljammer in sight (Though they did make an Epic Destiny in Heroes of The Elemental Chaos that lets you become a Regiar). Mike Mearls said that this wasn't so much due to [[ComedyGhetto Spelljammer being too silly]] but rather [[ContinuitySnarl how hard to pull off the crossover aspect is.]] He said that if they were going to do it in D&D Next it'd be "its own thing"

* IAmNotShazam: Sort of--''the Spelljammer'' is a legendary LivingShip, ''spelljamming'' helms are the [[AppliedPhlebotinum phlebotinum]] that powers space travel, and ''spelljammers'' can refer to ships (usually just "'jamming vessels") or sailors (as opposed to [[TalkLikeAPirate landlubbers]], er, ''groundlings''). Or only helmsmen.
-->'''Jeff Grubb''': In the game we used it to describe the act of moving through space magically. And it was the class of ship that moved through space. And it was the proper name of the legendary Spelljammer, a supposed Flying Dutchman/White Whale. It was a noun, a proper noun, and a verb. If I could have made it an adverb I would have done that as well.
* {{Living Ship}}: Though, technically, this was supposed to refer almost exclusively to the titular Spelljammer, it is applicable in a much less interesting fashion to the Elven vessels, which are shaped from a living spacefaring plant. Reigar Esthetics are more potentially dangerous as a lifeform, though just as mindless. Borderline cases are Tick -- Neogi vehicle powered by [[PoweredByAForsakenChild life draining]], designed to be used as a "saddle" for [[SpaceWhale something big]]. And some people just live on the backs of [[SpaceWhale kindori]] -- they are big enough for a village and travel in herds.

* MoralEventHorizon: Using [[WeaponOfMassDestruction Witchlight Marauders]]. Or just living a normal life of a Neogi (surprisingly, it's not so simple even with [[BrainFood mindflayers]]).

* {{Expy}}: A lot of the races are recycled from the aliens from TSR's earlier sci-fi RPG, ''Star Frontiers''. Rastipedes are based on ''Star Frontiers'''s vrusk, hadozee are yazirians, syllix are sathar, and plasmoids are dralasites.

* FantasticRacism: Not much, given LoadsAndLoadsOfRaces, but still.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfRaces: That's a lot of people collected from most D&D setting and then some more.
-->'''Gaeadrelle Goldring''', [[spoiler:[[HalfHumanHybrid half-kender]]]] on the [[TruceZone Rock of Bral]]: I used to think that a lizard was a lizard, you know, but then I saw that there were as many types of them as there are of people like us. I met some trogs once, not very friendly ones at that, and, wow, did they ever stink. It was incredible. Then I met dracons, saurials, sithp'k, and, of course, the wasag, like that little blue guy over there.

** The Rock of Bral is a shout out to Cosmic Boy from the LegionOfSuperHeroes, whose real name is Rokk Krinn of Braal. This in-joke was almost almost certainly done because of Rokk's last name being the same as the name of the {{Dragonlance}} planet, Krynn.

** WordOfGod confirms the Clockwork Horrors as one for [[DoctorWho the Daleks]], although they have more of a HordeOfAlienLocusts aspect to their methodology and look very different.

** WordOfGod confirms the Clockwork Horrors as one for the Daleks, although they have a little bit of GreyGooScenario to their methodology and look very different.

* ShoutOut: [[http://www.spelljammer.org/ships/deckplans/Dolphin.gif Dolphin]]: the ship with a detachable shuttle on top of an extended curved "neck"? Hmm, [[StarTrek what]] this strange construction could [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/File:MPost16057E-PlotDevices%2Ejpg resemble]]?..

* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever: lots of, up to Giant Space Hamsters [[hottip:(you ''don't'' want to know): Including breeds like the Subterranean Giant Space Hamster, Sabre-toothed Giant Space Hamster, Rather Wild Giant Space Hamster, Invisible Giant Space Hamster, Sylvan (or Jungle) Giant Space Hamster, Miniature Giant Space Hamster (otherwise known as...a hamster; the breeding came full circle...), Armor Plated Giant Space Hamster, Yellow Musk Giant Space Hamster, Ethereal Giant Space Hamster, Carnivorous Flying Giant Space Hamster, Two-Headed Lernaean Bombardier Giant Space Hamster, Two-Faced Giant Space Lagan Hamster, Fire-breathing Phase Doppleganger Giant Space Hamster, Great Horned Giant Space Hamster, Abominable Giant Space Hamster, Tyrannohamsterus Rex, and the legendary [[DoomyDoomsOfDoom Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen]]. ...See?]]

* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever: lots of, up to Giant Space Hamsters [[hottip:(you ''don't'' want to know): Including breeds like the Subterranean Giant Space Hamster, Sabre-toothed Giant Space Hamster, Rather Wild Giant Space Hamster, Invisible Giant Space Hamster, Sylvan (or Jungle) Giant Space Hamster, Miniature Giant Space Hamster (otherwise known as...a hamster; the breeding came full circle...), Armor Plated Giant Space Hamster, Yellow Musk Giant Space Hamster, Ethereal Giant Space Hamster, Carnivorous Flying Giant Space Hamster, Two-Headed Lernaean Bombardier Giant Space Hamster, Two-Faced Giant Space Lagan Hamster, Fire-breathing Phase Doppleganger Giant Space Hamster, Great Horned Giant Space Hamster, Abominable Giant Space Hamster, Tyrannohamsterus Rex, and the legendary [[DoomyDoomsOfDoom Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen]]. ...[[SchmuckBait See]]?]]

* AttackOfThe50FootWhatever: lots of, up to Giant Space Hamsters [[hottip:(you ''[[YouDoNOTWantToKnow don't]]'' want to know): Including breeds like the Subterranean Giant Space Hamster, Sabre-toothed Giant Space Hamster, Rather Wild Giant Space Hamster, Invisible Giant Space Hamster, Sylvan (or Jungle) Giant Space Hamster, Miniature Giant Space Hamster (otherwise known as...a hamster; the breeding came full circle...), Armor Plated Giant Space Hamster, Yellow Musk Giant Space Hamster, Ethereal Giant Space Hamster, Carnivorous Flying Giant Space Hamster, Two-Headed Lernaean Bombardier Giant Space Hamster, Two-Faced Giant Space Lagan Hamster, Fire-breathing Phase Doppleganger Giant Space Hamster, Great Horned Giant Space Hamster, Abominable Giant Space Hamster, Tyrannohamsterus Rex, and the legendary [[DoomyDoomsOfDoom Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen]]. ...[[SchmuckBait See]]?]]

* AlwaysChaoticEvil: One of the first major ''D&D'' settings to start playing with this, from nazi elves, to a community of relatively decent illithids, to a non-evil mutant Beholder bartender.

* AWizardDidIt: The setting ''runs'' on this trope. As one source book put it, "It's magic, and it ''[[MagicAIsMagicA knows]]'' it's magic."

[[caption-width-right:350:DungeonsAndDragons meets StarTrek. It's like [[NerdGasm porn for nerds.]]]]
An ''Advanced DungeonsAndDragons'' setting that adds up to D&D [[RecycledInSPACE in SPACE]]. It has a small but loyal following. Its origins are actually a good RealLife example of [[WhenLifeGivesYouLemons making lemonade]] when the PointyHairedBoss of a gaming company hands her writers lemons; really crafty writers realize that the only difference between "TheyJustDidntCare" and "ProtectionFromEditors" is ''[[SweetAndSourGrapes perspective]]''. See "[[http://grubbstreet.blogspot.com/2011/02/spelljamming-innnn-spppaaaaaace.html the secret history of Spelljammer]]" in Jeff Grubb's blog.

An ''Advanced DungeonsAndDragons'' setting that adds up to D&D [[RecycledInSPACE in SPACE]]. It has a small but loyal following. Its origins are actually a good RealLife example of [[WhenLifeGivesYouLemons making lemonade]] when the PointyHairedBoss of a gaming company hands her writers lemons; really crafty writers realize that the only difference between "TheyJustDidntCare" and "ProtectionFromEditors" is ''[[SweetAndSourGrapes perspective]]''.

Or see "[[http://grubbstreet.blogspot.com/2011/02/spelljamming-innnn-spppaaaaaace.html the secret history of Spelljammer]]" in Jeff Grubb's blog.

--> '''[[{{Roma}} aperusa]]''' (ending a discussion on the elven view of [[HalfHumanHybrid half-elves]] [[CrowningMomentOfFunny to follow a lady from IEN crew]]): Ah, but hypocrisy is a wonderful thing in an elven woman! My apologies, Captain, [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean but you understand]]?