Anis are bizarre, coal-black cuckoos with long floppy tails and unique, curiously tall, flattened bills. Groove-billed occurs in a variety of open and semi-open habitats in tropical lowlands and foothills, typically staying low in shrubs and grasses. Gregarious and not particularly graceful; usually seen crashing around awkwardly in small groups.

Everyone speaks "Common", which is the normal, default-language (probably associated with humans), with each other species/race having their own [weird sounding] languages At best, basic and functional. At worst, speaks to some really euro/Anglo-centric perspectives on how language works. Fine for your personal D&D game, but both unrealistic and uninteresting in terms of worldbuilding. (1/10)

Everyone just speaks the same language but no explanation is given as to why Again, basic and functional. Makes very little sense unless you're in a very small setting, so you'd think I'd dock that for being unrealistic. But this says 'this story doesn't have the scope to handle translation logistics' and I respect that honesty. 3/10

Earth (or future Earth or AU Earth) where everyone just speaks different real world languages By default, the most realistic! Perfectly respectable. Can be very easily used to explore the real-life politics of language. But by dint of being realistic, also a little boring, though it's ultimately all in execution. (5/5, +/- 2 depending)

Scientifically-created perfect instant universal translator For when you need your cast of international/intergalactic characters to I appreciate this one for giving me a willing suspension of belief for how all these characters can understand each other. However, introduces a new belief to suspend because i Do Not Believe we could invent this under real world physics. I find this fun but think writers could get weirder about this one. (6/10)

Magically-or-psychically-powered (etc) perfect instant universal translator The last one, but make it magic. Which sure is just a rebrand in the techno babble but works better for me. Again, I think writers could get weirder (6.5/10)

Characters speak "Common" as a lingua franca, deconstruction remix Okay, now we're cooking. You're actually exploring what would cause a so-called "common" language means, the history that would cause it to take root, and the interspecies/racial/group politics and tensions that exist. Fun! (7/10)

Look at me, I made a conlang! Okay, cool, impressive. but like... did you do anything with it? (7.5/10)

I made a conlang (or conlangs PLURAL) and it's relevant to both characters and plot! Damn, fair enough man. Respect. Tolkien would be proud. however, i personally am jack shit at languages, so if it's relevant enough to the plot I need to understand it, I'll struggle. it's not you, it's me. (8/10)

Characters speak many languages in this setting, which is a major political theme My personal catnip. It's like speculative linguistics and anthropology and politics and all this bullshit i love. <3 <3 (9/10)

They're smart fuckin birds, I believe in them

Big update today for my Mushishi inspired ttrpg! All of the locations, green things, and NPC traits have been filled in! It's basically the complete game, minus a few lists and examples I need to fill in.

Next steps are playtesting, refining, editing, and theeeen layout.

Call it the "Plane of Balance" and you'll get an eyeroll from the natives.  The Outlands is the 'biggest' outer plane, and its opinion of Good and Evil are covered by "shut up we have real things to care about."  Sure there are a few chessmasters playing the great game and keeping the universe from swaying towards one cause or another, but even a lot of the big players think they're off their rockers.  Most of the Outlands is focused on their own interests and problems.

Not a lot is written about the Outlands because... well it's not too different than a Prime Material World.  Cities, Wildlands, and Rural chunks abound.  And the people aren't actively hostile, but don't rush to help everyone they meet either.  Most petitioners got here by being average, and they're keeping that drive.  And the exceptional characters tend to enjoy not constantly dealing with interruptions from people with annoying alignment ideas.

Their easy retirement is handled by the plane's travel quirk.  You get to your destination fastest by "minding your own business."  This sounds obvious but it's not just the lost time from going out of your way to help and harm others.  The Outlands guides people who interfere with others towards other groups of busybodies, and people who leave well enough alone closer to their goal.  So those looking to sell stuff find those who show interest in buying, those looking to cause mayhem and Evil find crusaders looking to battle for Good, and everyone else deals with the other groups as little as possible.

Gods in the Outlands : The Gods around here are usually focused on something.  Nature, Knowledge, Magic, Commerce, Crafting, and they have a realm devoted to doing that.  Sometimes realms will intersect, but usually they have something they want to do, and they do it.  Everyone else can either help or leave them alone.

Adventures in the Outlands :  Adventuring in the Outlands is similar to adventuring in the prime.  There's less demons/angels and more 'annoying monsters' but 'old ruins made by cults/wizards,' still litter the place.  The big difference is that it's not limited to your singular prime world.  No, some Dark Sun rain cult might be a couple miles down river of a Steam Wizards research lab, kept apart by the laser crocodiles until some fairies captured them for chariot races.  Things are weird in the Outlands, just not Good or Evil weird.

The underdark in the setting keeps going down and down. At one point you hit the Storeroom. Its a giant planet spanning warehouse containing everything needed to populated dungeons. Millions of wood door, billions of torches packed into crates, ensless rows of traps yet installed and evil temples and shrines neatly arrayed.

And somewhere below, in the center of the world, dwells the master of all dungeons.

This place is a shithole.  Sometimes literally.  Caught in the Blood War, with larger Evil groups trying to take chunks of the plane from them, the petitioners of Carcerai decided to make their home plane the worst place fucking possible.  To pile up the filth, mud, and shit until no one would want to live here.  The only reason there are places that aren't filthy is because they don't want the filth demons to have anywhere nice either.

Stuck between the Abyss and the Grey Wastes, Carcerai is the place where those who are between pure indulgence in their dark whims, and a drive to enforce their unholy will on reality.  And that lack of conviction has generally left them in a bad spot.  Bullied by everyone around them, they retaliate with self destructive sabotage.  And so Carcerai is a place no one wants to be.

Because of that it's a great place to shove things or people you don't like.  The locals will gladly help lock up anyone who gets sent here.  If anything you might have to bribe them to not torture the living and break the inanimate.  Then again most things and people sent here are too difficult to easily damage.

Gods in Carcerai : Not many Gods want to be here.  Usually those that end up stuck in this place are part of a Pantheon that shipped them down here, and their primary goal is to get out and get revenge.   Their realms tend to be less miserable than most chunks of the plane, but visitors will likely be conscripted into the escape attempt.

Adventures in Carcerai : No one wants to go to this shithole, but there's a lot of treasure down here.  A lot.  As well as a lot of forgotten prisoners and lost souls.  Which means there's all sorts of rich folk willing to shell out a lot of gold for those who can stomach digging through the muck for those items.  As well as many weapons buried away by those who wanted their weaknesses sealed.  Just be warned, the locals are every bit as evil as any demon or yugoloth, and much angrier.