This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.
Next revision | Previous revision Last revision Both sides next revision | ||
planar_cosmology [2021/03/22 23:01] titania created |
planar_cosmology [2024/01/31 16:32] titania [Planar Cosmology] |
||
---|---|---|---|
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
- | ====== Planar Cosmology ====== | + | {{wiki: |
- | In Sundering Shadows, the most basic planar mechanics is an unknown enigma. Little can be assumed to be known with certainty. | + | |
+ | |||
+ | Central to the observable existence is the prime material plane, wherein the realms of Shadow and other nearby continents lie. This plane is overlapped by the Ethereal, Shadow, and Feywild | ||
===== Transitive planes ===== | ===== Transitive planes ===== | ||
- | * [[The Ethereal | + | ==== The Ethereal |
+ | A plane of ghosts and horrors, and a means to travel within the material plane or step The Ethereal Plane – A plane of ghosts and horrors, and the means of traveling within the prime material plane by stepping | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== The Astral Plane ==== | ||
+ | Less a plane unto itself and more of a boundary between | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== The Feywild ==== | ||
+ | The first plane, the birth of all life and creation. [[The Feywild]] is steeped in positive and radiant energies, and the original home of the Fey. The plane is covered in wild and varied vegetation, constantly in flux to the whims of the Arch Fey that is bound to the local territory. So flush with radiance is the plane that it never truly becomes night, merely bordering on twilight. While the Summer Court (Seelie) embrace the warmth of radiance, the Winter Court (Unseelie) are darker beings, prone to violence and cruelty. The Feywild is tied to the Sun through the realm of Dream, and is an idealized version of the Prime Material according to Edea. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== The Shadowfell ==== | ||
+ | Shortly after the birth of the Feywild, the Shadowfell came into existence like a dark reflection. The dark energies of the void gather here, roiling and coalescing into a dark version of the Feywild. Where the Feywild creates and blossoms, the Shadowfell twists and tears apart, a bastion of entropy. Pools of negative energy well up throughout the plane, providing the source that all undead creatures draw from to create their sickening mockery of life. The Shadowfell is tied to the Void through the realm of Nightmare, and is an idealized version of the Prime Material according to Ashra. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== The Prime Material Plane ==== | ||
+ | This is the nexus between the Feywild and the Shadowfell, a place influenced by both to create a middle ground of existence. Creation blooms, but is held in check by entropy and destruction, | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== The Inner Planes ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | These are the four elemental planes – air, earth, fire, and water – accessible from the prime material plane via the astral plane. A few tangible cross-points exist on the prime material plane, allowing regular travel to and from some of the inner planes. Beyond these portals, powerful magic must be used to travel to these planes. | ||
- | * [[Shadow plane]]: Much as its name suggests, it is a plane of shadows upon deeper shadows. Dark and terrifying things eke out their lives, and unlives, here. The plane of shadows exists as a colorless echo of the prime, and it is the origin of all negative energy which filters through various crossovers into the prime material plane. | + | ===== The Outer Planes ===== |
- | * [[The Feywild]]: Another echo of the prime, with points of contact in those wild places that still hold most strongly | + | Many outer planes exist, although scholars |
- | * [[Astral]]: This is the plane that lies between the prime and the various inner and outer planes. A relatively empty and timeless place, it allows for travel between the planes. | + | ===== The Demi-Planes ===== |
+ | Demi-planes are usually only small, and are physically created by a deity or a powerful spell caster. Countless exist, popping into and out of existence, created by spells such as rope trick or in the creation of enchanted items like bags of holding. Larger, artificially made demi-planes also exist, but require immense power and knowledge of the arcane. | ||
- | ===== Inner planes | + | ===== Energies of the Cosmos |
- | These are the four elemental planes – air, earth, | + | ==== Elemental ==== |
+ | The basics of fire, water, earth, and air, these energies merge into an array of para-elemetal energies like steam and lava. It is these elements that comprise most of the other planes in various levels, creating | ||
- | ===== Outer planes ===== | + | ==== Positive Energy |
+ | The energy of life and healing, it is most abundant in the Feywild but springs forth in most planes as life grows and spreads. Where the Radiance provides a space for life, positive energy is what fuels it. It reacts destructively against it's opposite, tearing anything apart that is animated by negative energy. Many scholars consider positive energy to also be a primal force, as its presence coincided with the birth of the Feywild. | ||
- | Many outer planes exist, although scholars still debate to this day as to their exact number and nature. Such planes are the realms of Gods and demons, celestials and devils, and the many splendors and horrors that lie between. Certainly reason would suggest that planes such as these must exist to encompass all deities, alignments and natures | + | ==== Negative Energy ==== |
+ | The twisted mockery of positive energy, this power is drawn from fonts within the Shadowfell and channeled in order to create undeath. It corrupts | ||
- | ===== Demi-planes ===== | + | ==== Radiance |
+ | The light of the stars, searing through the darkness of the Void. Each plane in existence, barring the Shadowfell, is only able to exist because of the presence of this energy. Its burning light drives back the Void and creates an oasis in the darkness for that plane to exist. Mages and other learned practitioners of magic utilize small sparks of such energy when creating demi-planes, | ||
- | Demi-planes are usually only small, and are physically created by a deity or powerful group of spellweavers. Countless exist, mostly only as tiny pockets (rope trick, bags of holding). Scholars also argue that larger, artificially made demi-planes could exist, but usually only powerful spellweavers can create demiplanes. | + | ==== Void ==== |
+ | It is the force that surrounds everything in the cosmos, the slow entropy that drags existence into destruction | ||
+ | At their nature, both the Radiance and the Void do not act through any intelligence or strategy, but they are both bound to Edea and Ashra who were born of these primordial forces. It is through them that the war between the light and the darkness is waged. |