Alternative worlds on a single Prime Material Plane

[Durinor]

In the Pathfinder setting, I believe it is the case that there is a single Prime Material Plane, containing many different life-bearing worlds, seperated by space - the great beyond.

Does this mean that 'alternative' worlds are not possible in this setting, i.e other dimensions with slight (or major) differences?

Also, as far as I know published pathfinder material places humans on two separate worlds - Golarion and Earth. Are humans everywhere throughput the universe, and if so, how did they get there?

Finally, since early 20th century Earth exists in the setting, does this mean that there is no world where Earth is in its 16th century? Or 21st?

[Landon Winkler]

I think this is more of a campaign setting question than an RPG question.

If you're asking for canon, I don't think there's any indication of multiple primes or parallel universes lying alongside Golarion.

But, in practice, they're the easiest thing in the world for a GM to add to their game. Just because nobody's discovered them yet (or it just didn't become public knowledge) doesn't mean they're not out there.

On that same note, none of the things you mention are outside of possibility in canon, they just haven't showed up.

Cheers!
Landon

[uriel222]

Paizo sees the many separate worlds that TSR made (Oerth, Farun, Krynn, etc.) as being one of the key causes of that company's demise, so they made a conscious decision to limit themselves to one gameworld. As a result, they've played down the idea of multiple "realites" in favour of just expanding the world to include a solar system. I suspect they only included the "real" Earth at all because it seems to figure so strongly in the Lovecraft Mythos, as well as being a setting they don't really have to support, since everyone already knows it.

Of course, for your home game, you're only limited by your imagination and gaming library. I dumped Spelljammer into my world, illithids, beholders and all (because I can).

[Durinor]

that's a very interesting perspective Uriel, and also ties with the kitchen-sink style setting of Golarion where you can play almost any type of fantasy from Arabian Nights to Viking to Wild West.

[Landon Winkler]

Durinor wrote:

that's a very interesting perspective Uriel, and also ties with the kitchen-sink style setting of Golarion where you can play almost any type of fantasy from Arabian Nights to Viking to Wild West.

Yeah, that tied very heavily into their decisions on how to build Golarion.

My favorite post on the topic is this one from Lisa Stevens.

Cheers!
Landon

[LazarX]

Durinor wrote:

In the Pathfinder setting, I believe it is the case that there is a single Prime Material Plane, containing many different life-bearing worlds, seperated by space - the great beyond.

Does this mean that 'alternative' worlds are not possible in this setting, i.e other dimensions with slight (or major) differences?

Also, as far as I know published pathfinder material places humans on two separate worlds - Golarion and Earth. Are humans everywhere throughput the universe, and if so, how did they get there?

Finally, since early 20th century Earth exists in the setting, does this mean that there is no world where Earth is in its 16th century? Or 21st?

It's a setting question, because the Earth you're thinking of, is part of the Golarion setting. A far flung part, but part nonetheless.

The answer to your question lies within your DM.