Inner Planar Region

From The Paths to Airalar
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In the multiverse, nestled around the Central Planar Region lies the ancient and foundational Inner Planar Region. This region, older than all other parts of the multiverse, is the primeval crucible from which everything was molded. Its existence predates the rest of the cosmology, and it is here that the basic elements and energies for the rest of the planes continue to be provided, maintaining the very fabric of creation.

The Inner Planar Region is not just a collection of elemental forces but a vast and intricate tapestry of existence, woven from the very fabric of primal energies. Beyond the six major planes, each representing the purest form of an elemental or energy type, there are a larger quantity of planes that represent the primal combination of two elements, or an element and an energy type. But even beyond those, there lies an almost infinite expanse of demiplanes, that are the result of the complex interplay and fusion of the primary elemental and energy forces, creating a rich and ever-changing landscape of possibilities.

Imagine the Inner Planar Region as an artist's palette, where the primary colors are the major planes, vibrant and distinct. But just as an artist mixes colors to create new hues and shades, the forces within this region blend and merge to form demiplanes, each unique in its composition and character. These demiplanes are not mere offshoots but full-fledged realms in their own right, each harboring its own mysteries, inhabitants, and laws of nature.

The Inner Planar Region, with its major planes and countless demiplanes, represents the raw potential of creation, where the boundaries of reality are not just pushed but completely reimagined. It's a place where the very essence of existence is woven, unwoven, and rewoven, offering endless possibilities for exploration, adventure, and discovery.

The Energy Planes

The Energy Planes embody the fundamental forces of creation and destruction. The Positive Energy Plane is a radiant, life-giving realm, essential to the vitality of living beings but overwhelming in its unchecked abundance. In stark contrast, the Negative Energy Plane emanates entropic darkness, a void where life withers, representing the ultimate end of all existence. These planes are not merely sources of raw energy but are complex environments, teeming with unique phenomena and entities, pivotal in the balance and cycle of cosmic life and death.

There are two Energy Planes:

  • The Positive Energy Plane: This realm is a brilliant tapestry of light and vitality, where every breath is imbued with the potential for growth and rejuvenation. The Positive Energy Plane is the wellspring of life, a boundless source of healing and renewal. Its luminescent landscapes are awe-inspiring, yet dangerously overwhelming, for the unbridled life force that pervades this plane can invigorate as swiftly as it can obliterate, granting life in abundance or causing life to burgeon into unchecked, rampant growth.
  • The Negative Energy Plane: A realm of entropy and dissolution, where shadows reign over a void of desolation and decay. This plane is the antithesis of life, a domain where the very essence of existence is unraveled and consumed. It is a place of eerie tranquility and inexorable decline, where the absence of life and light is not merely a void but a tangible force. The Negative Energy Plane holds the chilling allure of the ultimate end, wielding the power to erode, exhaust, and extinguish.

The Elemental Planes

The Elemental Planes represent the primal forces of nature. Each plane, Fire, Water, Earth, and Air, exemplifies an elemental essence in its purest form, creating environments of extreme conditions. The Plane of Fire burns with endless infernos, the Water Plane encompasses vast, unexplored oceans, the Earth Plane is a realm of endless caverns, and the Air Plane is an open sky with floating islands. These planes are not only sources of elemental magic but also home to diverse elemental beings, shaping the fundamental nature of the universe.

There are four elemental planes:

  • The Elemental Plane of Fire: An expanse of unceasing conflagration and fiery life force. It's a domain where the ground crackles with the warmth of embers and the air vibrates with the heat of a thousand suns. Here, fire is not destruction but a dynamic artist, sculpting the landscape with flames that dance to the rhythm of creation and transformation. Inhabitants of this realm are as resilient and spirited as the flames that surround them, living embodiments of the plane's fierce energy and indomitable will.
  • The Elemental Plane of Earth: A bastion of solidity and endurance, a realm where every grain of soil and shard of mineral resonates with the essence of stability. It's a landscape of eternal rock, ore and endless caverns, where the concept of change is measured in millennia rather than moments. The inhabitants of this plane are embodiments of endurance and strength, as steadfast and unyielding as the ground beneath their feet.
  • The Elemental Plane of Water: A realm of fluidity and depth, where the currents carry the secrets of the unknown and the rhythm of the tides echoes the pulse of the cosmos. This plane is a world of infinite shades of blue, where every wave is a melody and every ripple a whisper. The beings that dwell within this ever-changing seascape are as enigmatic and adaptable as the water that cradles them.
  • The Elemental Plane of Air: A boundless sky, an expanse of freedom where the winds dance with the currents of possibility. This realm is an ever-shifting spectacle of clouds and storms, serene breezes, and furious gales. In this domain, the essence of movement and change is palpable, with each gust holding the breath of adventure and the whispers of distant lands. The inhabitants of this plane are as free-spirited and elusive as the wind itself, moving with grace and purpose in the boundless blue. The Plane of Air is a domain where the horizon is unending, and the sky is the canvas for the dreams of those bold enough to soar.

The Paraelemental Planes

The Paraelemental Planes arise from the fusion of two Elemental Planes, creating unique and complex environments. These planes, Smoke, Magma, Steam, Mud, Sand and Ice, blend the characteristics of their parent elements, resulting in diverse and often volatile realms. These hybrid planes host a variety of creatures and phenomena, embodying the merging of elemental forces, and play a crucial role in the ecological balance of the universe. These planes have their Elemental dominance lessened.

There are six Paraelemental Planes:

  • The Paraelemental Plane of Mud: A domain dominated by marshes, swamps, and endless muddy terrains. This plane, shrouded under a perpetually dark grey sky, is characterized by its treacherous and enigmatic nature. The landscape is predominantly flat, punctuated only by occasional clay hills, with movement severely hampered by the thick, viscous soil that threatens to swallow the unwary.
  • The Paraelemental Plane of Sand: An endless desert of shifting dunes and flat, hard sandscapes. The plane's defining characteristics are its omnipresent sand and the powerful winds that sculpt the terrain into ever-changing forms. Unique to this realm, sand flows like river currents, and the sky itself radiates light, creating a cycle of light and darkness distinct from any sun-driven day and night.
  • The Paraelemental Plane of Magma: A realm is characterized by its deep, jagged ravines, flowing rivers of lava, and constant volcanic activity. Majestic yet menacing, the landscape is dotted with towering obsidian structures rising from the fractured earth. The plane's temperature fluctuates dramatically, ranging from zones of intense heat capable of melting non-magical materials to somewhat milder areas where solid rock withstands the sweltering conditions.
  • The Paraelemental Plane of Ice: A frigid, desolate landscape dominated by ice. This plane is characterized by towering mountains of ice, expansive glaciers, deep crevasses, and majestic ice spires, all enveloped in an atmosphere of extreme cold. The weather is unforgiving, with heavy blizzards and freezing temperatures presenting significant challenges to life and navigation. Thin layers of ice often conceal treacherous crevasses, making every step a potential peril.
  • The Paraelemental Plane of Steam: A world shrouded in warm, dense mist. This plane is an expanse of endless vapor, where visibility is often restricted to mere feet, creating a world where sight is less reliable than other senses. While certain regions can exhibit potentially lethal heat, the majority of the plane offers a warm, humid atmosphere, filled with air thick with steam, a mildly challenging environment for travelers.
  • The Paraelemental Plane of Smoke: An inhospitable and desolate realm, stretching endlessly as a flat, dreary wasteland under a perpetual gray sky. This plane is shrouded in dark, foggy clouds, with the ground made of solidified smoke, fractured and unstable. Thick columns of smoke periodically erupt from the fissures, adding to the plane's hazardous nature. The lack of typical landmarks in this landscape creates a profound sense of isolation and monotony.

The Quasielemental Planes

The quasielemental planes are fascinating intersections of elemental and energy planes, embodying either perfected or decayed aspects of their base elements. These planes represent the dynamic fusion of primal forces, creating environments both wondrous and treacherous. Each plane, unique in its manifestation, offers a glimpse into the raw power and intricate balance of elemental and energetic interactions. These realms are more than mere extensions of their elemental counterparts, they are complex environments, teeming phenomena shaped by the interplay of elemental essence and cosmic energy.

  • The Quasielemental Plane of Radiance: A spectacle of vibrant colors and intense brightness, where energetic particles zip through at high speeds, colliding to form solid matter known as brightstone. Some of these brightstone formations have grown large enough to host settlements, offering a stark contrast to the plane's otherwise dangerous nature.
  • The Quasielemental Plane of Mist: A realm of ethereal beauty, enshrouded in a perpetual, softly glowing mist. The plane defies conventional structure, lacking proper ground and embracing a gravity that bends to the will of its inhabitants, allowing objects to float gently on serene mist currents. Surprisingly hospitable, the plane offers a cold yet non-hazardous climate, providing a serene and mystical atmosphere.
  • The Quasielemental Plane of Lightning: A realm of ceaseless activity and raw energy. It's a world where air currents swirl amidst vast, dark, ionized clouds, lit only by the continuous electrical discharges that craft a soft, pervasive white glow. The plane's landscape is a spectacle of dynamic weather, characterized by lightning strikes of varying intensity and duration, some instantaneous and others sprawling over vast distances for extended periods. Ball lightning, deadly to the touch, adds to the plane's unique phenomena, alongside rivers of plasma that traverse the open skies.
  • The Quasielemental Plane of Crystal: This realm is a vast, glittering expanse where every surface sparkles like the finest gemstones, casting light in a mesmerizing array of colors. Massive, jagged crystal formations dominate the landscape, ranging from towering spires to expansive caverns, from tiny, confining spaces to majestic, cathedral-like chambers. These crystalline structures vary in their clarity and color, with some offering translucent windows to the world beyond and others shimmering with rich, deep hues.
  • The Quasielemental Plane of Ooze: A landscape of dense, viscous sludge. This vast expanse, ranging from thick, sticky mires to fluid, swamp-like areas, is not only treacherous due to its murky terrain but also due to the constant emission of corrosive fumes. The air, thick with these toxic vapors, poses a significant respiratory threat and adds a layer of danger to an already challenging environment.
  • The Quasielemental Plane of Dust: An embodiment of desolation and decay, a vast expanse where dryness and disintegration reign supreme. This realm, characterized by its monochrome landscape of endless dunes of fine, powdery dust, represents the finality of erosion. The air is arid and laden with a perpetual haze of minute dust particles, carrying with it the remnants of forgotten civilizations and landscapes, all reduced to their most basic, dust-like form.
  • The Quasielemental Plane of Ash: A realm of haunting desolation, an endless expanse where cold, grey ash blankets the landscape, creating a scene of eerie stillness. Distinct features punctuate this ashen wasteland: Ashen Geysers erupt periodically, sending plumes of cold ash and dim embers skyward, while frozen flames, crystalline structures of suspended fire, cast a ghostly light across the terrain. Mountains of coal rise from the ash, signifying potential for fuel and rebirth amidst decay, and rivers of hotter ash snake through, adding a dynamic element to the otherwise still expanse. Deep echoing canyons amplify even the faintest sounds, enhancing the plane's haunting aura.
  • The Quasielemental Plane of Miasma: An embodiment of decay, corruption, and disease. This plane is perpetually enshrouded in a thick greenish fog known as miasma fog, notorious for its harmful properties. The plane's landscape is stark, primarily featuring the corrupted remnants of matter that drift in from other planes. Floating islands of decay or tainted vegetation occasionally drift through the endless mist, gradually disintegrating until they become part of the miasma fog itself.

The Omnimental Demiplanes

The Omnimental Demiplanes are extraordinary realms formed by the fusion of elemental, quasielemental, paraelemental, and energy types. These complex planes embody the convergence of multiple fundamental forces, creating environments of unparalleled diversity and unpredictability. In these realms, the very essence of fire, water, earth, air, and varied energies intermingle, leading to unique physical and metaphysical phenomena. The Omnimental Demiplanes offer a dynamic setting for adventures, where the rules of nature are redefined by the intricate dance of elemental and energetic interplay. Unlike the energy, elemental, paraelemental and quasielemental planes, which are well known and studied, there is such a variety and quantity of Omnimental Demiplanes that is very difficult to have a proper comprehensive list. The following only lists some well known examples of Omnimental Demiplanes, but much more are known to exist, and planar travelers always seem to be able to identify more.

  • The Omnimental Demiplane of Rust: The Omnimental Demiplane of Rust is a realm where Earth, Air, and negative energy intertwine, creating an ambiance of relentless decay and corrosion. This plane is a testament to the impermanence of matter, where metallic and earthen elements are in a perpetual state of decay, slowly succumbing to the unyielding grip of negative energy. The air in this desolate landscape is heavy with the scent of oxidation, and the ground is strewn with the remnants of structures and objects that once held form and function but now lie in ruins, overtaken by the inevitable march of entropy.
  • The Omnimental Demiplane of Soil: This unique plane is a celebration of fertility, featuring a diverse range of soils from dark, nutrient-rich loams to dense, moisture-retaining clays, all pulsating with the promise of growth and renewal. Vast plains of lush moss and lichen unfurl like a verdant carpet, punctuated by towering trees with deep, intertwining roots, delicate ferns, and an intricate network of fungi, each element a testament to the intricate web of life. The atmosphere is saturated with the earthy scent of damp soil and fresh vegetation, and the gentle rustle of leaves in harmony with the soft whisper of the wind creates a symphony that celebrates the plane's vibrant essence.
  • The Omnimental Demiplane of Storms: Dominated by ever-changing, dynamic skies that span from crystal clarity to tempestuous storms, this plane is a theater of natural forces in perpetual motion. Clouds weave and dance across an infinite sea, their forms ever-shifting in an eternal ballet. The air vibrates with the hum of electricity, punctuated by the symphony of rain ranging from gentle drizzles to torrential downpours, each drop contributing to the plane's life-sustaining cycle. Majestic thunderstorms periodically illuminate the skies, their lightning bolts a testament to the raw power and creative force of nature.
  • The Omnimental Demiplane of Salt: A landscape imbued with an extraordinary diversity of salts, ranging from common salt to exotic sulfurs. This plane boasts a panorama of salt formations, from the stark whites of salt flats to the vibrant colors of crystalline structures tinged by various mineral salts. The air carries a kaleidoscope of scents, from the sharp tang of salt to the pungent aroma of sulfur, creating an atmosphere that is as alien as it is captivating. The terrain is a mosaic of salts and sulfuric deposits, shimmering like gemstones under a broad sky or painting the ground in hues of yellow, orange, and red. Water bodies, when present, are mineral-rich pools, their surfaces mirroring the surreal colors of their environment.
  • The Omnimental Demiplane of Glass: This plane is a canvas of vast, shimmering glass landscapes, born from the fiery fusion of sand and earth, meticulously sculpted by air, and vivified by life-affirming energy. The terrain is a spectacle of diversity, ranging from smooth, mirror-like surfaces reflecting the dynamic sky, to elaborate crystalline formations that scatter light into a spectrum of rainbow hues. The air carries a warm, harmonious hum, resonating with the positive energy that suffuses the plane. Towering spires and fragile glass forests invoke a sense of wonder, while the soft clinking and chiming of glass in the breeze lend a melodic backdrop to this fragile realm. Here, light is a transformative force, with the sun's rays casting the landscape into an ever-changing kaleidoscope of color and brilliance, capturing the essence of beauty and fragility in a delicate dance of light and glass.