Post by Valen Storyteller on Feb 6, 2016 0:48:32 GMT
Why does this House Rule exist?
As with several other House Rules and lore elements, this is simply in keeping with classic lore, which informs the RP. Some desirable elements of more recent editions are either kept or adapted, with the intent being to create a cohesive whole.
The second ambition involved is to keep the game easy. Having the four coterminous plans be ever-present keeps complexity down by allowing spells and powers to function normally on all planes.
Cosmology
The Classic D&D cosmology is used, with a few adjustments as follows:
Additionally, major groups of Outsiders for the Outer Planes are as follows:
As with several other House Rules and lore elements, this is simply in keeping with classic lore, which informs the RP. Some desirable elements of more recent editions are either kept or adapted, with the intent being to create a cohesive whole.
The second ambition involved is to keep the game easy. Having the four coterminous plans be ever-present keeps complexity down by allowing spells and powers to function normally on all planes.
Cosmology
The Classic D&D cosmology is used, with a few adjustments as follows:
- Inner Planes are composed of individual planes for each element and energy. They are all coterminous with each other, so while there are stretches of pure elemental matter of a single element, a great part of the Inner Planes is actually a chaotic melange of two or more elements. Travel between the planes is possible through mundane means, by simply seeking out greater concentrations of the desired element, and moving towards it (i.e.: See lava in the Plane of Earth? Travel to it, then seek out more and keep that way, you will wind up in the Plane of Magma, and eventually possibly the Plane of Fire);
Prime Material is composed of several Crystal Spheres, all of them floating within the Phlogiston. Contact with other planes of any form is only possible while within one of these Crystal Spheres, and your Sphere of origin may influence the cosmology you are capable of accessing;
Astral, Ethereal, Faerie and Shadow are universal coterminous planes: they can be accessed from all planes, and have shallows which resemble the local environment in all of them. The Astral is the primary link to the Outer Planes, and the Ethereal is the primary link to the Inner, but both can be accessed from the other;
Outer Planes follow the Great Wheel cosmology, with the Outlands (And Sigil) in the center, and all other planes around it, linked through gate-towns.
Additionally, major groups of Outsiders for the Outer Planes are as follows:
- Modrons, Inevitables and Formians inhabit Mechanus, being the major exemplars of Law;
Archons are natives of Mount Celestia, being exemplars of Lawful Good;
Aasimon come from all Upper Planes, being exemplars of all Good alignments;
Guardinals come from Elysium, being exemplars of Neutral Good;
Eladrin come from Arborea and are exemplars of Chaotic Good;
Slaad come from Limbo and are exemplars of Chaos;
Gehreleth come from Carceri, and are wardens of that plane;
Tanar’ri (demons) come from the Abyss, and are exemplars of Chaotic Evil;
Yugoloth (daemons) come from Hades and Gehenna, and are exemplars of Neutral Evil;
Baatezu (devils) come from the Nine Hells, and are exemplars of Lawful Evil;
Rilmani come from the Outlands, and are exemplars of True Neutrality