Planes of Existence

## Astral Plane

The Astral plane is described as an endless sea of blue and purple liquid mists that surrounds all the other planes, including the inner planes, and is said to house the realms of the gods themselves. The Astral Sea connects these planes and realms and at the center of the Astral Sea is Hestavar, also known as The Bright City. It is home to the god Pelor.

Nestled deep within the Astral Plane is Hestavar, the Bright City. Hestavar resembles a city constructed of pure gold and ivory, where unsavoury matter such as dirt and dust dematerialize immediately.

The city of Hestavar is floating in the endless Astral Sea, but projections of endless blue skies and calm oceans surround the city to give visitors a more pleasing sight. The actual city itself seems to stretch on for hundreds of miles, but travelers can often find what they are looking for within several minutes due to the magic nature of the city making them see what they are searching for.

The Astral Sea makes up an unknown percentage of the Astral Realm and is considered impossible to navigate for all except celestials and deities. It connects Abyss, Baelor, the Elemental Planes, the Nine Hells, Realms of the Gods and Xesteria to each other. it is believed that, if the endless Astral Sea ever disappeared, so too would the very fabric of reality as it is believed that the Astral Sea itself holds time and space together.

## Baelor

Separate from the Nine Hells, Baelor is another plane of existence infested with demonkind. Long ago, a Material Plane known as Baelor existed that preceded Xesteria. It was like Xesteria in every regard, as the world of Xesteria was created in Baelor's image.

Baelor, eons ago, was a prosperous realm inhabited by races that have been forgotten to all but the gods themselves. It was not until the Demon King Bael was unleashed upon the former Material Plane that the aforementioned prosperity came to an end. Bael invaded Baelor, bringing with him an army of aberrations. Literal hordes of beholders laid waste to Baelor's kingdoms, and a sickly corruption soon spread throughout the realm. When the gods attempted to intervene, it was too late and Baelor had become a fallen realm. With the Material Plane being corrupted, the balance of the various planes began to go awry. It was then that Ehlonna, Paladine, and Pelor came together to forge Xesteria as the new Material Plane.

To this day, Baelor exists as a landscape identical to Xesteria, only as a sickly black wasteland full of debris and ruins. It is populated by Bael and his legions of aberrations. The Orcish deity Gruumsh also slumbers in this plane, awaiting his awakening so that he may travel to Xesteria and bring destruction to all who stand against the orcs.

## Dragongate

A surprisingly lush and beautiful realm. It is, however, inhabited solely by dragons and demons that worship the dragon goddess Tiamat who rules over the realm. There are no known settlements in Dragongate, only thousands of miles of jungles, jagged mountains, and violent oceans. It is said that any mortal who travels to Dragongate will become forever haunted by nightmares of Tiamat torturing their soul even though Tiamat herself is banished. Fortunately such travel for mortals is difficult, as they can only travel to Dragongate when accompanying a willing chromatic dragon that wishes to undergo a ritual to visit Tiamat's realm.

## Elysium

An outer plane so far removed from the others that no mortal has ever possessed even the slightest inkling of how to reach it. Elysium is sad to be the home of celestials such as angels, empyreans, while also being the ancestral plane of origin for many gods throughout the timeline. Based on word from celestials encountered throughout the planes, is believed that celestial energies are so profound in this plane that even the weakest of curative spells on the Material Plane of Xesteria would overload the body with immense healing energies in Elysium.

Deities such as Aureon, Ehlonna, Pelor, and Yenosh are all believed to have come from this plane originally. Celestials in the city of Hestavar allude to the plane being governed by a celestial deity known as Fenril who, if ever worshipped in Xesteria by even a fraction of the world's populace, could grow to become more powerful than any known good-aligned deity.

## Ethereal Plane

The Ethereal Plane is coexistent with the Material Plane and often other planes as well. The Material Plane itself is visible from the Ethereal Plane, but it appears muted and indistinct, its colors blurring into each other and its edges turning fuzzy.

While it is possible to see into the Material Plane from the Ethereal Plane, the Ethereal Plane is usually invisible to those on the Material Plane. Normally, creatures on the Ethereal Plane cannot attack creatures on the Material Plane, and vice versa. A traveler on the Ethereal Plane is invisible, incorporeal, and utterly silent to someone on the Material Plane.

The Ethereal Plane is mostly empty of structures and impediments. However, the plane has its own inhabitants. Some of these are other ethereal travelers, but the ghosts found here pose a particular peril to those who walk the fog.

Spells function normally on the Ethereal Plane, though they do not cross into the Material Plane.

## Feirweld

An dark and forboding forest that seems to stretch on forever, this is the home of Malar. Dangerous wild creatures prowl the woods, and the curse of lycanthropy runs rampant throughout the forested realm. It is said that it is impossible to visit Feirweld without either dying or contracting the curse of lycanthropy.

## Feywild

The Feywild, also known as the plane of Faerie, exists as an "echo" of the Prime Material Plane. It is from here that the fey originated, giving the Feywild its name, and it is also a place of unusually potent magic.

As a parallel plane to the Prime, the Feywild's geography is similar, though not entirely identical, to the geography of Xesteria. Similarly, just as the geography is reminiscent of Xesteria's, its inhabitants and many creatures exist as fey "echoes" of Prime creatures.

Arcane magic runs more freely and powerfully in the Feywild than it does in Xesteria and it is for this reason that so many of its inhabitants are magically gifted. The Feywild is also reputably beautiful compared with either the Shadowfell or the Material Plane.

The Feydark is the echo of Xesteria's Underdark in the Feywild and, like most parts of the Feywild, it is more majestic and fantastic than its natural counterpart. Inhabited by the fomorians, a fey echo of the titans, the Feydark is a cavernous world of maze-like tunnels and portals linking to Xesteria and other planes.

## Ishtar

The realm of the god Bahamut. Ishtar is a realm of magnificent rock spires jutting out of a sea of mesmerizing clouds. It is said that gravity is so absent in this realm that one can almost fly by jumping. Luminescent halos line the skies and act as repellents against fiends. It is said that even the Demon Kings themselves are repelled by these halos.

## Limbo

A confusing realm where up is down, left is right, and logic is non-existent. Limbo is the realm of Lolth, which is reinforced by the always visible presence of spider creatures inhabiting the twisting, turning expanse of Limbo. The realm itself resembles an endless expanse of hallways and staircases twisted in all directions including sideways and upside down. It is said that any who ventures to Limbo either goes mad from the infuriating confusion it causes or dies from the hordes of spider creatures.

## Niflheim

The land of dead, which is home to Chemosh, is basked in permanent moonlight and resembles a neverending abandoned city where a thick fog hangs in the air. Souls that have successfully moved on to the afterlife can be located here, as they are in a transitional state between life and death. Large gateways exist where souls pour in through upon death, and Chemosh's eerie wardens police what enters and leaves through these gateways.

## Nowhere

Nowhere is the name of a plane of existence devoid of natural life of any kind. Nowhere is engulfed in a thick fog that limits vision and cannot be penetrated by any known magical means, and the terrain is completely flat and resembles broken and cracked earth despite having the feel and texture of glass. There is no wind in Nowhere, and sounds made by entities within the plane do not echo or seem to travel any further than 100 feet from their point of origin. Because of these features, Nowhere is surprisingly claustrophobic. Unsurprisingly though, it is exceptionally bleak and depressing. Because of the lack of any forms of natural structures or vegetation, entities that are exiled to the plane have no way of accumulating further strength through their environment.

## Plane of Air

The Elemental Plane of Air is filled essentially completely with air, but had various impurities that tended to form pockets or bubbles in the otherwise pure atmosphere. Gaseous bubbles included clouds of every type, fog, steam, mist, smoke, poisonous clouds and acidic vapors; also the rare intrusion of elemental fire which is flame without fuel. Liquid impurities were usually water or water-based and tended to form floating spheres when not buffeted or frozen by the winds. Solid matter could be found here, from dust, ash, salt, or sand, to chunks of earth approaching the size of a large asteroid. The larger chunks were often brought into the plane by intelligent beings and were very likely to be inhabited or formerly inhabited. A traveler with a guide could approach the boundaries where the air thinned out until there was nothing. The Elemental Plane of Air is ruled by the Elemental Lord Mistral.

## Plane of Earth

The Elemental Plane of Earth is an infinite expanse of solid stone pockmarked by bubbles of other elements and riddled with fissures and tunnels created by burrowing creatures or the occasional small mining operation. Ensconced in a few of these pockets are trading outposts and the rare hidden wizard fortress. Solid does not imply stationary: the substances of this plane are constantly moving in a slow, grinding motion punctuated by earthquakes from small tremors to massively violent upheavals. Open spaces were gradually filled by the relentless shifting unless action was taken to prevent it. No light exists in the Plane of Earth except for rare luminous gems buried in the crushing darkness. Travelers able to pass through stone are effectively blind unless they use magic such to create a light source or until their ocular organs reached an open space where darkvision could operate or a source of light could be produced. Hearing was actually enhanced while encased in earth, to the point where travelers could detect any movement through the rock within a certain radius of their position. This plane is ruled by the Elemental Lord Quara.

## Plane of Fire

Unlike the other three elemental planes, the Plane of Fire has normal gravity and a landscape, although most of the ground is made primarily of loosely packed elemental fire and feels like walking in a swamp of hot coals. The rivers and oceans are made up of molten magma. Non-native flying creatures find the atmosphere thin and therefore do not have their usual speed or maneuverability. Visibility is hampered by the smoke coming off the flames engulfing, but not consuming, nearly every solid, liquid, or gas on the plane. What one can see is usually distorted by heat ripples.

Rains of hot ash move about like thunderstorms, threatening those on or near the ground with hot embers and blinding ash. Those in the air have to watch out for clouds of superheated steam blowing around and condensing scalding water on exposed surfaces.

The dangers of the plane cannot be overstated, but those who survived the trip see wonders and beauty at nearly every turn. Flame colors span the rainbow, from the vermilion of a forge hearth to the yellow-white of heated iron, from the blues and greens of alchemical reactions to the familiar candle-flame yellows and oranges. The conflagration forms fountains, jets, sheets, rivers, waves, walls, rains, cascades, clouds, swirls, and pits of brilliant incandescence on a scale found nowhere else

The legendary City of Brass exists in the Plane of Fire and is where the plane's ruler, the Elemental Lord Sargonnas, resides

## Plane of Water

A realm of endless oceans. There is no deep or shallow, no dark depths nor wavy surface, just an infinite ocean that makes one feel as if they were submerged several feet in any body of water on the Prime Material Plane. There is no sun, yet the water itself seems to glow dimly with a bluish green luminescence. Volumes of water at any temperature and salinity can be found if you know where to look or have a guide. Water is known to become cold and form icebergs as one reaches the furthest reaches of the plane before they eventually find an endless sea of ice.

Impurities such as bubbles of air, chunks of earth, and even short-lived balls of fire can be found floating about due to elemental vortices or the workings of powerful beings. The rare habitats and settlements of the plane are typically found near sources of food and shelter, or near portals and vortices to facilitate trade.

Supporting the teeming life of this plane are the corals of unknown origin. Huge drifting three-dimensional reefs and loose spheres of freshwater grasses, kelp, and seaweed are home to myriad species and are fertile fishing spots. Travelers have to keep in mind that large predators know of these fishing grounds also, or else they might discover just how bite-sized they actually are. The Elemental Plane of Water seemed to have no limit on how large some creatures can be as giant squid, aboleth, and deep spawn are known to prowl the plane. Small creatures can be deadly too, with poisonous spines or barbed tails.

The Elemental Plane of Water is ruled by the Elemental Lord Poseidus.

## Shadowfell

The Shadowfell, also known as the Plane of Shadow, is one of the planes of existence. It exists as sort of counterpart to the Feywild, in the sense that it is a reflection, or "echo", of the Prime Material Plane. Unlike the Feywild, it is a mirror of the Material Plane albeit bleak, desolate place full of decay and death.

The most striking and immediate impression a visitor to the Plane of Shadow would experience is the lack of color and light; no sun, moon, or stars adorn the vault of the inky black sky, and all things look as if the color had leeched out, leaving nothing but black and white, which in the dimness is more like "dark black" and "light black". A light source only illuminates half the distance it normally would, flames and fires put out less heat, and spells that deal with light or fire are less predictable and prone to failure, whereas shadow spells are enhanced. On the other hand, although they do not illuminate as far, any light source on the plane can be spotted at a distance of up to ten times its normal range of illumination, such was the contrast to the constant gloom, similar to a star in the night sky. Even a light source that only put out shadowy illumination, like a darkness spell or a lantern burning shadowlight oil, can be seen up to five times its range of illumination.

Air, water, and food exist on this plane, allowing plants, animals, and some humanoids to adapt to the shadow environment. Visitors can survive indefinitely if they are willing to endure thick, foul-smelling water, food that oozes dark blood, and a pervasive nip of cold in the air. A visitor may never feel warm, can often hear or sense the presence of things that aren't there, and can never shake the feeling of being watched. It is a constantly unsettling place.

## Shangrila

The home of the goddess Ehlonna. Shangrila resembles an absolute paradise with vast meadows and prairies full of green grass and wildflowers. Gargantuan forests line these fields, shining rays of beautiful line penetrating the forest canopies and making them feel inviting and tranquil. High mountains exist beyond the mountains, where snow falls but visitors remain warm and cozy. The most curious aspect of Shangrila is that it is devoid of all sound, a trait mirrored by the mute goddess who inhabits it.

## Sinphyra

Endless jungles and rainforests make up the realm of Ragarra. Little is known about this realm for the simple reason that anyone who has ever ventured to it has either immediately been killed or driven out by the highly aggressive branches, roots, and vines that immediately attempt to put an end to any intrusions.

## The Great Beyond

The Great Beyond is a demonic hellscape that is believed to exist underneath Abyss. It is thought to be the most inaccessible of all demonic planes, with no record of any mortals ever successfully reaching it. Only ancient infernal scriptures confirm its existence, and that it is ruled by a the most powerful pureblood demon in existence, Orcus. There are no documents containing information on Orcus, or just how far his power extends, but Xesteria's most accomplished scholars and strongest Baranosian archmages tirelessly work to discover more about the elusive Demon King.

## The Nine Hells

The Nine Hells, sometimes Hell or Hells, also known as Baator in Infernal, are the native homes of many demons. They were previously home to the devils before Mephistopheles and Azmodeus betrayed devilkind eons ago, choosing to convert themselves into demons and drive the devils out of Nine Hells to The Shadowland. The Nine Hells are nine realms where there exists sinister evil and institutional cruelty organized in a strict caste system with a very rigid chain of command. Each of the Nine Hells have its own physical laws or properties of matter, but all are inhospitable or deadly to outsiders. The Nine Hells are Abyss, Avernus, Erebus, Lemuria, Nether, Oblivion, Scholomance, Tartarus, and Xanadu.

## The Shadowland

The Shadowland is the Plane of Existence where the devils reside after being betrayed by Mephistopheles and Azmodeus eons ago and losing the Nine Hells to demons. It is a rough landscape enveloped in a dreary and eternal night. There are many hazards in the Shadowland, not limited to but including frequent deep holes and pits that descend for hundreds of feet, often containing pools of frigid liquid nitrogen, frigid temperatures that can dip in excess of -100°C, mountain spires that end in sharp, pointed ends, rolling fogs that are capable of invading the respiratory system and freezing the body from within, rough rock terrain that is as fragile and as sharp as broken glass, and stalagmites covering a vast majority of the plane's rocky expanse.

## Vanaheim

The realm of endless seas and islands of pure rock belongs to the god Talos. Many consider Vanaheim to be uninhabitable, but it remains a wonder to behold for any who are lucky enough to glimpse it. Everlasting thunderstorms roar across the infinitely stretching oceans of the realm. It is said that the waters of Vanaheim is where the legendary Kraken was created long ago before it used its wit to evade Talos' gaze and escape to Xesteria.

## Xesteria

Xesteria is the current Material Plane, created in the image of former plane of Baelor that fell to demonic corruption. It is also the prime setting of the campaign and is the tie that binds the realms together. Whenever the Material Plane's stability is at risk, so too are the astral connections that link all other realms.

Xesteria, being the current Material Plane, is the most populated realm as well as the most habitable.

## Zion

A curious realm not unlike the Material Plane which is home to the goddess Aureon. Where Xesteria's grass is green, Zion's is a soft white. The sky, instead of blue, alternates between a warm gold during the day and a soft pink at night. The realm is inhabited by countless celestial beings, all who follow the goddess Aureon herself. Zion is believed to be the source of all radiant energy across all planes of existence.