Planet Platin is a fictional world we built as a class of 17 students, designed for both worldbuilding and character-driven game design. Set in the distant solar system Vermillion, orbiting a sun of the same name, the planet has two moons that shape its climate, culture, and survival:

• Korthyx, the red moon, is fiery and volcanic. It takes 100 years to complete a full cycle, and when it aligns with the North, the volcano Vesuvius erupts, forcing the northern inhabitants to live underwater for protection — though many still perish.

• Veltrana, the blue moon, is bioluminescent and takes 10 years to cycle. It influences tides, ecosystems, and spiritual beliefs, creating rhythm and continuity in life across the planet.

The planet is divided into four regions, each with unique climates, societies, and politics:

The North — Vesuvius & Onina

The northern region is dominated by water, with scattered islands surrounding the volcano Vesuvius. The capital, Onina, lies beneath the surface, where the inhabitants carve their homes into volcanic stone underwater. Life here revolves around survival and adaptation, as Korthyx’s eruptions occur once a century. The North emphasizes collective resilience, environmental storytelling, and architecture shaped by cyclical disaster.

The East — Desertum & Domus

Desertum is an endless desert. The capital Domus sits under a massive dome that protects the population from extreme heat. Society here is strictly regulated, with rigid hierarchies and strong governance. Outcasts are cast into the desert, where they gradually evolve into reptilian forms. Desertum explores how harsh climates justify control, and how survival can physically and socially reshape individuals.

The South — Aere & Aetherspire

In Aere, life exists on floating islands high above barren land. The capital Aetherspire rises among the highest islands. The winged inhabitants, known as the Sky People, live long lives and follow a matriarchal system guided by a female spiritual leader. Exile is brutal: outcasts have their wings cut and are thrown to the ground, yet some survive. Aere examines power, elevation, and the relationship between physical ability and social status.

The West — Terrabit & Elok

Terrabit exists mostly underground. The capital Elok is a subterranean city built from scavenged materials and advanced technology. The inhabitants are master builders and inventors, creating almost anything from limited resources. Terrabit emphasizes adaptability, ingenuity, and survival through craft rather than hierarchy or protection.

As part of the project, each student created a character connected to at least two others. These characters were shaped by the planet’s environments, political systems, and cultures: northern characters adapted to underwater life; eastern characters struggled with rigid hierarchy or exile; southern characters were winged and influenced by matriarchal and spiritual systems; and western characters thrived on technology and resourcefulness.

The project combined worldbuilding, character design, and game design, exploring how environment, society, and celestial mechanics intertwine to create a living, playable, and narratively rich world. Planet Platin challenged us to think systemically, collaboratively, and creatively — designing a world where every decision ripples through culture, climate, and story.

My character; Awara

Awara, daughter of High Priestess Amelenwa. Awara is female, she will follow her mother’s footsteps and become the next High Priestess of her region, she is next in line. She will become the next leader of her people, her clan. They live on one of the floating Islands in South, Aere. She will stand up for her people alongside with her mother, but she disagrees with some of the ways in wich things are being dealt with, her people losing their wings, their freedom, for disobeying the rules. Awara wants peace. Future events may lead to her having to take on a bigger role than just being her mother’s daughter and apprentice due to being next in line, she may have to lead her people alongside her mother and challenge the way things are as of today.