Once a whole planet, now various size floating earthmotes. Sizes range from 50 square feet up to about 150 square miles.
Dragons rule the world.
A wizard king challenged the dragon rule, and was defeated. The final act of the wizard involved a massive ritual spell that was poorly countered by three of the dragons.
The ritual was corrupted and boosted, resulting in the fracturing of the planet and the complete destruction of the human race.
The core of the planet remains as a solid sphere of various metals and stone. It is completely covered by ocean, which is much saltier than the original planet's oceans.
Each earthmote is held aloft through the power of mote crystals. These crystals are rare, so there is much less landmass now than before the shattering. Only areas with mote crystals survived the shattering.
Larger earthmotes contain mountains where mining still occurs.
There are no longer any seasons. Earthmotes at/near the poles are frozen, those at the equator are hot and humid. Very few earthmotes are desert or arid.
Water evaporates at the core, becoming clouds at roughly the altitude of the earthmotes, which rains down on most of them as usual.
Winds are very chaotic and strong over earthmotes. The air is generally calm in the voids between earthmotes.
Travel between earthmotes is accomplished through "air jammer" ships. These ships are captained by a magic user (wizard or sorcerer) who controls the movement of the ship through magic. They are kept afloat using small mote crystals embedded in their central mast.
Gunpowder does not explode in this universe. It does cause a thick smoke and can be used to make smoke "bombs" that do no damage when used.
Air ships are protected through magic or various kinds of ballista. Pirates are rare, since a simple Fireball can disable and possibly destroy an air ship in a matter of seconds.
Earthmotes, especially the smaller ones, travel slowly around in the void. Occasionally they come close to other motes, sometimes causing small wars to break out.
Some communities have connected motes together through iron chains and bridges.
The mote crystals in the larger earthmotes are found in a large cluster rather than as a single crystal.
One of the properties of mote crystals prevent them from getting too close to other mote crystals. The larger the crystal/cluster, the greater the distance. Kind of like magnets repelling each other. This has the side effect of not allowing ships powered by a mote crystal to fly over an earthmote.
The world is populated by many flying creatures adapted to the vast voids between earthmotes. Most fly via wings, but some swimming creatures were transformed to use lighter-than-air bladders for floatation. These use their flippers/tails to provide slow propultion.
There are no "half" races, no half-elf, no half-orc, etc. Even before the shattering, cross breeding races didn't exist. It's just not biologically possible. Magic could create unique hybrid individuals, but the creature would not be allowed to go out and adventure.
No multiclassing unless there's a VERY good reason to do so. Must be discussed before leveling up, out of session.
All characters get a feat at level 1, that must be tied to the chosen background. This is in addition to any other starting feats the character might get.
Max HP, plus con bonus, plus proficiency bonus at level 1. Hit die are rolled for each level after that (rolls of 1 are rerolled, as per damage rule below).
Attribute array: 16, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10
18 is the max attribute value at level one, considering the starting array, racial bonuses, and starting feats. Only one stat can be 18 at level one.
Humans no longer exist.
Available PC Races:
Short rests are 30 minutes instead of 60.
Any time your character can increase attributes or pick a feat, you must always pick a feat. Half-feats are the only way to increase attributes (baring rare magic).
If you are taken to 0 hp or less, you gain a level of exhaustion when revived.
All ones on damage rolls are re-rolled until not a one.