Getting to the Astral (GAP)

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Although many ways exist to get to (or perhaps, onto) the Astral, there are only two important distinctions. These differentiate between arriving astrally or physically. While it has already been pointed out that physical travel onto the Astral is a misnomer, nonetheless planars use it more commonly. Primes usually travel astrally via the astral spell or by using a psionic ability.
The differences between the two travel methods are both slight and profound. Astrally traveling characters project onto the plane a mental construct which is separate from, yet connected to, their physical body - which remains on their original plane. The connection takes the form of a silver cord that always visibly trails off from the midsection of the traveler (unless a body happens to be a planar). If the astral form receives a mortal wound, the traveler does not die. Instead his astral form dissipates returning the consciousness of the traveler back to his body. If the silver cord is cut from an astrally traveling character, however, the character's astral and physical form die.
Essentially, the astrally traveling character has "translated" himself into his astral equivalent, or rather, a special form of such. Because nothing physical actually enters the Astral when a body is astrally traveling, he can take nothing with him, except magical items whose essence he can also translate.
Someone physically entering the plane lets the plane itself translate him and his equipment, thereby allowing anything material to enter the Astral. Nonetheless, the character's astral equivalent can be slain, for he leaves no body behind to return to like an astrally traveling character does.
Physically traveling onto the Astral can be accomplished by using a color pool (though a body almost always uses these to leave the plane rather than enter it), a portal, a plane shift spell, or any other method associated with planar travel.
Here's an important point, however. Just because it's a realm of the mind and physical things are really made of mental energies doesn't mean that whatever a berk thinks comes true. Not at all. Instead, physical things keep their perceived qualities, even in the astral form. Hard things feel hard, bitter things taste bitter, and so on. Perception is the key, but it is not the master. Just thinking about perceiving a sword does not make a sword appear. This isn't the plane of wishes. A berk's tiny mind just doesn't have that kind of power over the infinite Astral.