Mechanus

The cogs of Mechanus.

## Planar Traits

* Great Wheel

The **Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus**, sometimes called **Nirvana**, was an Outer Plane in the Great Wheel cosmology representing the alignment of lawful neutral and home of the modrons.

“
Mechanus is a place of *rules*. Law and process. *Organization above all*. The denizens of this place disagree on how order is to be *maintained*, but in the end we *all* serve its *structure*. Without structure, we are *nothing*.

”
— A parai, a creature native to Nirvana.

## Description

“
You are hereby exiled from the glory that is Mechanus! If you should ever return, even greater punishments shall be leveled against you, including but not limited to severe fines, imprisonment, hard labor, loss of limbs, loss of sight, geas magic, modron cleaning, modron counting, legal file alphabetization...
”
— A judge (fortunately) banishing someone from Mechanus.

This plane was filled with an infinite number of country-sized circular interlocking gears which were habitable on one or both sides. These great flat wheels were at least 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) in diameter and had teeth that meshed at right angles, all turning slowly in synchronicity. Each disk had its own gravity that operated in a sphere circumscribing it exactly and pulling normal to the top and bottom surfaces. The void between the gears was filled with air, allowing easy flight. Outside a gravity sphere, objects would feel only very weak attraction to nearby disks.

A plane of Law and order, Nirvana had equal amounts of light and dark, heat and cold, and equal measures of the four elements. There was a place for everything and everything was in its place. Even individuals living here existed to fit into the greater scheme of things and thus achieve a perfect society. There was no pain, but the only pleasure was in successfully filling a role like a gear in a machine. Passion, fantasy, and illusion did not exist here, except for what might be brought in by visitors, and any who tried to foment individualism or stir passions for a cause soon found they were not well received.

Nirvana was connected to the Prime Material Planes via the Astral Plane, and to the Outer Planes of Arcadia, Acheron, and Concordant Opposition by portals which appeared once every revolution of the gears they belonged to. The period of rotation depended on the size of the gear, but a typical period was twenty days. The portals stayed open for exactly one day. There was one portal to Concordant Opposition, located at the center of the featureless bottom side of a large gear, that was continually open.

## Inhabitants

The only creatures native to Nirvana were the modrons, a race of beings organized in a rigid caste system and ruled by Primus, the One and the Prime. The most common modrons were the monodrones, single-function drones used as common laborers, servants, or soldiers.

## Realms

* Amaunator, the long-dormant Netherese sun god, once made his home, the Keep of the Eternal Sun, here.
* Enki, Untheric god of rivers and oceans, once had a realm in Nirvana.
* Helm of the Unsleeping Eye once had a realm here called *Everwatch*.
* Hoar, The Doombringer, Lord of Three Thunders, had a realm called *Doomcourt* here.
* Horus-Re, also known as Horus the Avenger, had a realm on a very minimally developed disk here.
* Lendys, draconic deity of balance and justice, resided in Nirvana.
* Mystra, Lady of Mysteries, had a realm in Nirvana up to the Time of Troubles.
* Mystra (Midnight) briefly took over the realm of Mystra on Nirvana before creating her own domain on Elysium called Dweomerheart. (Dweomerheart subsequently became its own plane in the World Tree cosmology model.)
* Primus, the One and the Prime, was a greater deity and ruler of a vast realm in Nirvana called *Regulus*, centered on his great tower at the hub of a huge gear.
* Psilofyr, the myconid deity of community and healing, once thrived in a realm called *Mycelia* here.
* Utu, god of the sun in the Untheric pantheon, once lived here. As a chaotic good deity, it was suggested by sages that he was held here by Enki to keep him under control.
* Yama, the Judge of the Dead among the Lords of Creation, resided in his palace of Yamasadena within his city of Yamapura on Mechanus.

## History

After Orcus killed Primus and triggered an unexpected Great Modron March, he left the Energy Pool in Regulus to search for the *Wand of Orcus*, leaving the way open for a secundus to be promoted into the new Primus. However, prolonged contact with the Pool caused Orcus's evil influence to taint a fraction of the modrons. One tainted secundus disputed the ascension of any one of the other three and rebelled, leaving Mechanus and taking almost a million modrons with him. The dissidents settled a modron colony in Acheron, where they regrouped to later attempt to retake the plane. This schism crippled the modron race and paved the way for a formian invasion of Mechanus.

In the late 15th century DR, the wild mage Delina was sent to Mechanus by Martikay in order to search for a way to cure her from her wild magic surges. After interacting with several modrons, she was brought to trial by the Fraternity of Order at Regulus under charges of being an agent of chaos. She was found guilty and summarily sentenced to exile from the plane. The experience allowed Delina to better understand, rather than control, her wild magic.

## Appendix

### Appearances

Adventures
*The Great Modron March*
Comics
*Evil at Baldur's Gate 3*
Video Games
*Neverwinter Nights: Tyrants of the Moonsea*
### Gallery

*The Great Modron Marches embarking from Mechanus, by Julie Dillon.*
### References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). *Manual of the Planes 1st edition*. (TSR), pp. 84–85. ISBN 0880383992.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Gary Gygax (August 1983). *Monster Manual II 1st edition*. (TSR, Inc), p. 86. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). *Manual of the Planes 3rd edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 127–130. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
4. ↑ Jeff Grubb (April 1987). “Plane Speaking: Tuning in to the Outer Planes”. In Roger E. Moore ed. *Dragon* #120 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 42–43.
5. ↑ Jeff Grubb (July 1987). *Manual of the Planes 1st edition*. (TSR), p. 62. ISBN 0880383992.
6. ↑ Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). *Manual of the Planes 3rd edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 49. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
7. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). *Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 47. ISBN 978-0786965622.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). *Manual of the Planes 1st edition*. (TSR), p. 73. ISBN 0880383992.
9. ↑ Jeff Grubb (July 1987). *Manual of the Planes 1st edition*. (TSR), p. 75. ISBN 0880383992.
10. ↑ Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). *Manual of the Planes 3rd edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 127. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
11. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). *Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 58. ISBN 978-0786965622.
12. ↑ Jim Zub (June 2018). “Evil at Baldur's Gate 3”. In Elizabeth Brei and David Hedgecock ed. *Evil at Baldur's Gate* #3 (IDW Publishing) (3)., p. 11.
13. ↑ Jim Zub (June 2018). “Evil at Baldur's Gate 3”. In Elizabeth Brei and David Hedgecock ed. *Evil at Baldur's Gate* #3 (IDW Publishing) (3)., p. 18.
14. ↑ Gary Gygax (August 1983). *Monster Manual II 1st edition*. (TSR, Inc), p. 87. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
15. ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). *On Hallowed Ground*. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 182. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
16. ↑ slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. *Netheril: Empire of Magic* (TSR, Inc.), p. 34. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). *Manual of the Planes 1st edition*. (TSR), p. 86. ISBN 0880383992.
18. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. *Forgotten Realms Campaign Set* (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
19. ↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). *Forgotten Realms Adventures*. (TSR, Inc), p. 20. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
20. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). *Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Running the Realms*. (TSR, Inc), p. 51. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
21. ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). *On Hallowed Ground*. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 181. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
22. ↑ Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). *Powers & Pantheons*. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 28. ISBN 978-0786906574.
23. ↑ Nigel Findley, *et al.* (October 1990). *Draconomicon*. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 27. ISBN 0-8803-8876-5.
24. ↑ Dale Donovan (January 1998). *Cult of the Dragon*. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 120. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.
25. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. *Forgotten Realms Campaign Set* (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
26. ↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). *Forgotten Realms Adventures*. (TSR, Inc), p. 27. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
27. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). *Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Running the Realms*. (TSR, Inc), p. 47. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
28. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). *Faiths & Avatars*. (TSR, Inc.), p. 128. ISBN 978-0786903849.
29. ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). *On Hallowed Ground*. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 169. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
30. ↑ Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). *Player's Guide to Faerûn*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 152. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
31. ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). *On Hallowed Ground*. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 51. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
32. ↑ Gary Gygax (August 1983). *Monster Manual II 1st edition*. (TSR, Inc), pp. 86, 91. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
33. ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). *On Hallowed Ground*. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 176. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
34. ↑ James M. Ward and Troy Denning (August 1990). *Legends & Lore (2nd edition)*. (TSR, Inc), p. 130. ISBN 978-0880388443.
35. ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). *On Hallowed Ground*. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 157, 179. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
36. ↑ Ken Marable (April 2007). “Return of the Modrons”. In Erik Mona ed. *Dragon* #354 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 36.
37. ↑ Jim Zub (June 2018). “Evil at Baldur's Gate 3”. In Elizabeth Brei and David Hedgecock ed. *Evil at Baldur's Gate* #3 (IDW Publishing) (3)..

### Connections

The Clockwork Nirvana of **Mechanus**
Realms
Absorbing Light • Doomcourt • Eternal Sun • Everwatch • Mycelia • Nemausus • Regulus • Waterwheel • Yamasadena

Cosmologies of the Realms

The Great Wheel

Prime Material plane • Feywild • Shadowfell • Fugue Plane
**Transitive Planes:** Astral Plane • Ethereal plane
**Inner Planes:** Elemental Plane of Air • Elemental Plane of Water • Elemental Plane of Earth • Elemental Plane of Fire • Elemental Chaos
**Para-Elemental Planes:** Frostfell • Swamp of Oblivion • Fountains of Creation • Great Conflagration
**Quasi-Elemental Planes:** Lightning • Radiance • Minerals • Steam • Vacuum • Ash • Dust • Salt
**Outlands:** Sigil
**Outer Planes:** Arcadia • Mount Celestia • Bytopia • Elysium • Beastlands • Arborea • Ysgard • Limbo •
Pandemonium • Abyss (Layers) • Carceri • Hades • Gehenna • Nine Hells • Acheron • **Mechanus**
**Energy planes:** Positive Energy plane • Negative Energy plane
**Planar Pathways:** Infinite Staircase • Oceanus • Mount Olympus • Styx • Yggdrasil
**Far Realm**

The World Tree

Prime Material plane • Cynosure • Fugue Plane
**Transitive Planes:** Astral Plane • Ethereal plane • Plane of Shadow • Spirit World
**Celestial Outer Planes:** Arvandor • Brightwater • Dwarfhome • Dweomerheart • Gates of the Moon • Golden Hills • Green Fields • House of Knowledge • House of the Triad
**Fiendish Outer Planes:** Abyss (Layers) • Barrens of Doom and Despair • Blood Rift • Clangor • Deep Caverns • Demonweb Pits • Fated Depths • Fury's Heart • Hammergrim • Nine Hells • Nishrek • Supreme Throne
**Neutral Outer Planes:** Dragon Eyrie • Heliopolis • House of Nature • Jotunheim • Warrior's Rest
**Inner Planes:** Elemental Plane of Air • Elemental Plane of Earth • Elemental Plane of Fire • Elemental Plane of Water • Positive Energy plane • Negative Energy plane
**Planar Pathways:** Infinite Staircase • River of Blood • World Tree
**Far Realm**

The World Axis

Prime Material plane
**Fundamental planes:** Astral Sea • Elemental Chaos
**Astral dominions:** Arvandor • Banehold • Celestia • Cynosure • Deep Wilds • Demonweb Pits • Dismal Caverns • Dwarfhome • Eternal Sun • Fugue Plane • Gates of the Moon • Green Fields • House of Knowledge • Nine Hells • Nishrek • Supreme Throne • Towers of Night • Tu'narath • Warrior's Rest
**Elemental realms:** Abyss (Layers) • City of Brass • Cresting Spires • Fimbulwinter • Hidden Realm • Muspelheim • Root Hold • Sky Home • Steading • Thraotor • Undying Pyre • Zerthadlun
**Parallel planes:** Feywild • Shadowfell
**Anomalous planes:** Far Realm