Cosmology of Istha

Istha was the greater plane of existence in which all the events of Manuven and its peripheral planes took place, and was one of many greater planes which were known to exist. The cosmology of Istha was complex and not fully understood even by the most advanced of Nìolentics; those who studied the nature of spirit and aether. However, a fundamental structure to the universe had been postulated by 609 2EP.

### Manuven and the First Cylinder

Manuven was a plane which rested in the Isthan aether and was the highest of the Imican planes, or Near Planes; including Manuven as well as those planes resting beneath it. Manuven was believed to be the largest of all the planes of Istha, and its expansive lands stretched so far that it intermingled with some of the peripheral planes, forming parallel dimensions which skilled wizards would sometimes encounter in their research and journeys. It was on this plane that all the events of the epochs took place, and where the continents and nations of the cirmels and humans were located. See Manuven for more information on this particular plane. When combined with the planes that rested beneath it, Manuven was known as the First Cylinder, a name referencing the shape that the four discs formed when viewed from the aether.

In addition to Manuven, there were also three other known Imican planes which rested directly underneath it in succession, forming the stem and base of what was known as the Pillar of Istha. These were the planes of Yianos, Xiíor and Etorun. It took great effort to cross the boundaries between the plane of Manuven and these adjacent planes, but it was accomplished regularly by trained wizards educated at institutions the like of the University of Vhalo.

#### Yianos

Yianos was the plane resting underneath Manuven. Almost as large as its neighbouring plane, Yianos was inhabited by various species which were quite close in their relation to the inhabitants of Manuven. There were three continents on Yianos, known to the Efrests as Eroìon, Gioías and Sumam, meaning the land of the other world, the land of the rock, and the land of the vassals. Two great empires were said to have peacefully divided much of land amongst themselves, and Manuvians who corresponded with them held them to be generally friendly to the people of Manuven and they exchanged gifts with the Princedom of Nars; the closest existing descendant of Visos who they still held as friends from ages past, every hundred years. In addition, various Su-ei; the spirits and powerful beings which held sway in Istha, were known to dwell here, protecting the people of the plane. Yianos was illuminated by two stars named Isoxin and Vesoxin, which constantly encircled the land, and so the name Yianos was granted, which meant the land of everlasting Sun. The magical influence of these stars resting directly under Manuven manifested as a number of magical and exceedingly useful minerals developing deep underground where the light of the stars penetrated the disc of Manuven. The stars only ever dimmed slightly during the Yianoìam night, and would later become the namesakes of the two islands west and east of Madruna come the Great Settlement.

(Yianoìam, Aasimar, Gnomes, Feywild creatures)

#### Xiíor

Xiíor, or Xiíoraven, was the plane resting underneath the plane of Yianos: the second layer of the Pillar of Istha, beneath the plane of Manuven, and yet smaller than both Manuven and Yianos. Due in part to its distance and obscuration by the intermediate plane, less was documented about the exact geography of Xiíor, but an invasion was once attempted by Manuvians in the First Epoch, leading to a catastrophe which had numerous nations swear never to attempt to invade any of the other planes from that day on. The inhabitants of Xiíor were said to be "murky" in their complexion, having gray skin and glaring eyes which luminesced in the darkness, and were far less friendly in disposition than the Yianoìam. Unlike Yianos, which was always illuminated, and Manuven which had night and day, Xiíor was only illuminated by a single, fainter star named Ryoman which rested permanently in the night sky, giving the realm a permanent murkiness which most Manuvians found uncomfortable. Despite the unfriendly nature of the plane however, many Manuvians travelled their for a variety of reasons..

(Dark Elves, Dwarves, Kenku, Tabaxi)

#### Etorun

The final known Imican plane was known as Etorun, and was less than half the radius of Manuven, making it less than a fourth the size. The Etorunar were hardly ever encountered on Manuven, and only one wizard was ever known to have successfully ferried his physical body there and return alive, that wizard being the famed Blachorus al'Ampos who lived on Manuven during the 300s and 400s of the first epoch. Little was known about this mysterious realm, but according to al'Ampos' accounts the plane was exceptionally diverse and was divided into five distinct sections of varying topography inhabited by vastly differing creatures.

### The Peripheral Planes

The peripheral planes were those planes which rested across the aether, obscured by strange twists and turns in the fabric of space and time, as opposed to laying plainly beneath Manuven. Some of these planes were connected to Manuven through channels which connected across the aether, attracted to the enormity of the energy held in the form of all the elements which made up the grandest of the Isthan planes: Manuven. Chief among these was Bimesth, a plane whose energy seemed to be in constant conflux with Manuven and was the point of origin for many of the more obscure species inhabiting it by 609 2EP. Other planes were separated from the Pillar of Istha without any immediate connection to it, such as Wercos, which was believed to be one of the most beautiful places in the universe, yet utterly unreachable to anyone not having received explicit invitation. Similarly to the Imican plances, all peripheral planes had the common quality that the same ontological structure, composed of space and time; governed them, and as such creatures from one could always travel to another.

#### Bimesth and the Second Cylinder

Bimesth was a plane which intermingled greatly with Manuven. It was generally easy for Manuvians to travel there, and vice versa, given a sufficient understanding of teleportation magicks. Many strange influences held sway there, and numerous bizarre creatures called it their home, bringing some of the most exotic creatures known to inhabit Manuven. It was known that two additional planes rested above and below Bimesth respectively, known as Aiacan and Phelorun. In Aiacan reigned the powerful Eigonên known as Vervaìon, worshipped by some as the God of Spirit or God of Sky. In Phelorun reigned Vervaìon's rival Boresa, and she was worshipped as the Goddess of the Earth. Bimesth was formed as a result of the flux and conflict between these two deities, and embodied the aspects of both. Together the planes of Bimesth, Aiacan and Phelorun were known as the Second Cylinder, but unlike the First Cylinder, each realm was equally large in size, making it truly cylindrical.

(Aarakokra)

#### Wercos

Wercos was a plane distant to the Pillar of Istha which was under the control of a group of Su-ei who had forged the plane into a beautiful haven unlike any other place in Istha, and who guarded it and protected it with spells and barriers unbreakable to any mortal creature, and indeed to most immortal beings. A few particular creatures were known to have been invited here however, and one explorer by the name of Reidexas Dionaìar was granted the title of Emissary of Manuven by the Emperor of Visos in 2699 MI, and was allowed to enter Wercos on this basis, living there for 16 years and documenting the characteristics of the plane before his eventual return, at which point he took his own life after re-experiencing the mediocrity of his native world.

#### Aor

Aor was quite unlike any other peripheral or near plane of Istha. Utterly dominated by the influence of the great Eronnic being known as Mar'on Ayros, it became a vortex of his power; a capacitor of his willpower and force of influence over Istha. Over the centuries, the plane of Aor would be used as a medium for Mar'on Ayros to transfer his power from his Greater Plane of Ialpha into the Greater Plane of Istha in which Manuven lay, slowly building his influence and taking control of a growing portion of the fabric of reality as Rifts were opened between Ialpha and Istha. This plane, alongside the inherently strong connection between Istha and Ialpha, was what differentiated Mar'on Ayros from all the other Potensars which influenced Manuven in some form or another, as the presence of the plane gave him a domineering advantage over others, granting him a far greater measure of control. The *Aoreum* refers to *those who serve Aor*, or those who seek to expand the plane of Aor across all of Istha, thus bringing it fully under the dominance of Mar'on Ayros.

#### Naruas

Naruas was a peripheral plane quite strongly tied to Manuven. Many dark creatures originated from this realm, and the Eigonên Morcûth held great sway here. This plane was a continual source of trouble for the inhabitants of Manuven, as its hideous offspring would often venture across the boundary in attempts to extend their dominion. However, it often fought defensive wars agains the plane of Aor, which sought to bring Naruas under the control of Mar'on Ayros.

(Demons)

#### Esnor

Esnor was another distant peripheral plane in which rested the deity known as Esmanis, known as the God of Fire to some worshippers. Esnor was mostly comprised of a great, at times mountainous and at times flat desert populated by numerous oases in which lived many strange peoples who were entirely foreign to the cirmels and humans of Manuven. The connection between Esnor and the First Cylinder was strong, and there was some travel between the two realms.

(Dragonborn, Dragons, Kobolds)

### Aether

The aether was the vast "space" which separated various planes of Istha from one another. It was not exactly identical to "space" as normally understood, but it was believed that it would be possible to traverse it given a sufficient understanding of it. As one moved away from the First Cylinder, the aether gradually became murkier and denser, preventing the inhabitants of Manuven from seeing most of the peripheral planes in the sky. However, some which were most closely tied to the First Cylinder such as Bimesth, could be seen.

### The Eronnic Planes

Although many proximal, or Lesser Planes existed in Istha, Istha itself was but one of a perhaps infinite number of Greater Planes of existence which formed all of reality itself, each maintaining its own unique properties and laws of nature, and its own Lesser Planes much akin to the Lesser Planes of Manuven and Yianos. These planes were known as Eronnic planes; those which were beyond the reach of any physical being. *('Eronnic' comes from the Efrest stem 'eron,' relating to flow, emanation and entropy, referring to the flow of energy from the Eronnic planes into Istha.)*

#### Talipha

Talipha was the Greater Plane which had the most potent connection to Istha, a constant flow of magical energy leaking in and changing the nature of Istha and the progression of life and death within it. Unlike the plane of Ialpha, Talipha was under the influence of a myriad number of different Potensars and Eronnic beings, and thus its influence was sporadic and chaotic, never pulling Istha in any particular direction despite its profound influence. The ancient Efrest god Linarab was held by many scholars to be a personification of the chaotic influence of this divided plane rather than a distinct Potensar.

#### Acendripha

A distant plane of which little was known.

#### Korodisa

Korodisa was a Greater Plane which was dominated by the Potensar Kiraxa; a being worshipped as a "Goddess of the Flame" by the Order of the Embers, a powerful organisation akin to the Aoreum which sought to increase her influence in order to empower themselves.

#### Ialpha

The most dreaded of the Eronnic planes, Ialpha was wholly dominated by the Potensar Mar'on Ayros, and was almost as "close" to Istha as Talipha, thus granting him profound influence over Manuven, as the power seeping through the Ialphan Rifts was wholly his. From the initial droplets of Mar'on Ayros' influence, the Aoreum was created thousands upon thousands of years before modern times, and the power of Ialpha; known as Ayros, had since fully claimed the Lesser Plane of Aor, and held considerable influence on Manuven and the other planes as well.

#### The Great Source

The Great Source was a plane of existence from which the magical power granting most wizards and magicians on Manuven their power. This plane was not under the control of any being, and did indeed not have any clear structure at all, but rather provided living beings blessed with a strong connection to it with a constant flow magical power used to perform spells and magicks.