Ultimate Guide to Planes
Introduction
Elysium is a mystical world of secrets and a nexus of many channels of power. Beyond the barriers of movement or the senses there are other worlds, other planes of existence that interact with Elysium. This is an overview of those places.
Once another plane has been glimpsed or visited, its known locations can be viewed by selecting the plane from the menu bar at the top of the main Map Screen. Before a specific plane has been viewed or visited, the selection button for that plane is grayed out and inaccessible.
Celestial Plane
The abode of angels and celestial powers is unattainable to mere mortals. However, the priests of El claim that those who die free of sin will be brought here to live in eternal bliss. According to old prophecies a war between the angelic and infernal forces will one day take place in Elysium. Should infernal forces find their way into Elysium a heavenly gate will open and angels will enter Elysium and the righteous will be able to flee into Heaven.
Sky
Far above the surface of Elysium is the sky. Here the clouds are thriving, new clouds are formed all the time while the old clouds drift away and slowly dissolve. The sky is also the home of mystical air beings of various kinds and some have even formed cities and citadels among the clouds.
The Sky is not far away enough from Elysium to be an actual plane and the planar immortality ability regards the Sky, Elysium and Agartha as being the same plane. Not being that far away, the sky is influenced by Elysium and the dry deserts in Elysium will prevent the forming of clouds above them.
Elysium
Elysium is the principal world where all the player factions in the game vie for power, it is also here that most, but not all classes have their home. Elysium is full of riches and anyone, even those that need very exotic resources are likely to prosper if they are successful in the Conquest of Elysium.
Agartha
Under the surface of Elysium lies a vast cavernous realm. This is Agartha, rich in gold and gems. Here dwell the deep ones, blind olms and strange cave cows. While these caverns are vast, they are not all connected and most of them don’t have any means of access. Some burrowing monstrosities might be able to dig tunnels to connect the caverns, but for the most part Agartha is inaccessible to all but the Elemental Kings of Earth and their servants.
Agartha is said to lie between Elysium and Inferno, where demons dwell. While most scholars reject the idea, there are those who claim that it would be possible to dig down into the infernal realm to liberate sinners from eternal torment. If this would be morally acceptable is a popular discussion in some magic academies. More so than the discussion on how to embark on such an endeavor.
Inferno
Inferno is the realm of the Demon Lords, beings of godlike powers. Here sinners are tortured and forced to work in endless mines and ashen fields.
There are four regions in Inferno. One is the fiery realm from which the entire plane has been named. On the opposite side of the plane lies Kokytos, an icy realm where sinners are half buried in ice and snow. Between them lies the ashen fields of Pandemonium, where constant war is waged between the dukes and lords of hell. Here lies the capital of Belial, Lord of corruption. The entire plane is surrounded by the Abyss, dark chasms and caverns inhabited by sun-fearing demons, shades and fiends of darkness. Somewhere in the perpetual darkness lies the dark abode of the Arch Devil Abbadon.
Hades
Hades, the Underworld, is the realm of the dead. It is a pale and dark reflection of Elysium with towns, forests and castles, only distorted, dark and fearsome. The spirits of those who have died will cross the veil separating Hades from Elysium and find themselves bound to live out their last days for eternity. Somewhere in Hades lies the Citadel of the Dead, where Orcus reigns supreme.
Skilled Necromancers have mastered the means to travel the stygian paths of Hades to move great distances. Hades is the realm of the dead and is detrimental to all living beings. Each month a living being staying in Hades, it will suffer some damage that can’t be healed until it leaves the Underworld.
Aztlan
Aztlan is the mythical home of the Aztlan demon gods. In the heavenly serpent lies six realms, each ruled by a dark and hungry god. The Aztlani claim that they return to one of these realms when they die, to live in their afterlife according to their conduct in life. The six realms are connected and it is said that the celestial serpent swallows the sky and that its tail reaches all the way down to other even darker realms.
Primal World
At the Dawn of Time, Elysium was part of what is called the Primal World. This was a time when the barriers between worlds were thin and there was no clear distinction between planes. During this time animals, monsters, giants and demons roamed the lands.
But by some unknown force, or a divine decree, the worlds were suddenly separated and anchored in Time. Demons were imprisoned in the depths of Inferno and the dead were forbidden to walk among the living, banished forever to the Underworld. The Primal Plane from whence all beasts come, was set apart and only there were animals and monsters allowed to grow in size and power.
But not all inhabitants of the Primal Plane are animals. When mankind arrived in Elysium and the Planar Gates begun to close, the first men of Elysium, the Sidhe and the Tuatha, left for the Land of the Ever-Young beyond the gates, never to be seen again.
Being in the primal world has a mystic effect on animals and they will become larger, stronger and more intelligent if they are there long enough. This effect is permanent and the animal will not diminish in power if they leave again.
Elemental Planes
The Elemental Planes of Air, Earth, Fire and Water form a single realm of power, unified in its role as the home of primal elemental energies and forever divided against itself in an eternal war for dominance between its four parts. The Elemental Planes are ruled by the Kings of Earth and Fire and the Queens of Air and Water.
Separating the Elemental Realms is the Nexus, a site of tremendous magical knowledge and power. It is said that the Nexus was created by the powerful warlocks aided by beings from another world. The purpose of the Nexus was probably to channel power from the elemental planes into unimaginably powerful rituals. However, some say they were tricked into creating it by the strange beings in an attempt to destroy the world. The Elemental Planes are both difficult to reach and perilous in the extreme, the Nexus even more so.
Void
The Void is a vast emptiness that does not resemble anything. In the rare cases that something can be seen in the void, it is fleeting in time and made up of strange geometry that is impossible to understand. Just being in this place will drive any sane being into insanity.
But the void is not uninhabited, horrors and other strange beings that are mostly unknown to Elysium thrive in the void and if we are lucky they will never enter Elysium. Care has to be taken, as certain buildings designed to manipulate the power of the void, e.g. pyramids, have been known to close the gap and enable void creatures to enter Elysium.
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