Planes of Existence

There are various planes of existence alongside Kaelmoria, totally to 13 unique planes. Most mortal beings are native to Kaelmoria, The Requiem Lands, with only creatures such as demons, devils, celestials, and folktale monsters living in alternate planes. Demons inhabit Balanvar, Ekksa hosts the devils, and Onodor is home to the celestials. The folktale monsters are scattered across various other planes including Ibith, Griogoros, Oromagne, and Shadowfell. A few other planes don't inhabit creatures but will often have various travelers, including Astral Plane, Culldor, Firix, and Vitrium.

All planes exist in a layered pattern, similar to a tower. When traveling across planes the traveler's position changes as if they moved vertically up or down the tower. This limits the usage of planar travel for long-distance travel, although it is still used in many circumstances. Although space and distance are held constant across planes, time can shift drastically with certain planes slowing to almost a halt in comparison to others. There does not exist a plane that flows backward, thus making time-traveling backward impossible. Because of this, certain planes that accelerate time are often avoided as it could lead to returning in a new century.

## Astral Plane, The Obsidian Expanse

The Astral Plane is a vast open plane that consists of pure obsidian with a small layer of crystal clear blue water. Nothing lives in this plane but travelers often use this plane if given the option. The flat open terrain as well as the lack of potential threats makes this a favored plane for travelers. In addition, time is significantly faster than Kaelmoria to the point that almost no time passes in Kaelmoria, further enticing travelers as it allows for the most distance traveled in a set amount of time.

## Balanvar, The Endless Abyss

Home to the demons, most avoid Balanvar at all costs. The landscape resembles that of a desert in the abandoned areas of this plane, but areas with more demons have various ruins from across time scattered across the landscape as if they fell from the sky. Although not proven, it is often thought that when demons hold significant weight in important catastrophes chunks of Kaelmoria fall into Balanvar, filling the otherwise empty desert. Time in Balanvar matches that of Kaelmoria, allowing demons to easily affect the mortal realm.

## Culldor, The Dream Library

The largest library in all existence, Culldor is often viewed as a sanctum to many scholars. The library is difficult to traverse as it is constantly shifting and doesn't concern itself with a consistent gravity, so long as the path continues the scholar could always walk, regardless of orientation. The library itself consists of every written book in existence, from all ages, and translated in all languages that have a written script. In addition to all of the books, the library has many collections, documenting all of history in every plane that went undocumented. Although the plane is constantly shifting the general sections of the library remain together and any book in one language is often close to the various other versions of it. Time in Culldor is the most dangerous of any plane as time runs slower than any other plane. The exact speed isn't documented, except in Culldor, but no traveler has returned in less than a decade. This danger is also attributed to the difficulty of access. Because the layout shifts, the only way to enter Culldor is through specific focal points that anchor the library's movements. This difficulty also affects returning from Culldor as travelers have to find the focal points amongst a maze of moving bookshelves and stairs.

## Ekksa, The Forged Domain

Ekksa is even more infamous than Balanvar. Ekksa is the home to every devil and any soul not deemed worthy of Onodor. Often seen as a plane of torture and suffering, few creatures want to travel to such a plane. Although it is a single plane, there exists various levels within, the souls that come to Ekksa go to various levels based on the actions taken during their life. Lower levels tend towards larger atrocities and are also more difficult to travel to, most planar travel brings creatures to the upper levels. Time in Ekksa isn't as volatile as Culldor or The Astral Plane, but it does run faster than Kaelmoria, with three years in Ekksa equating to one year in Kaelmoria.

## Firix, The Travelers' Rest

Anyone who knows something about planar travel can tell you about Firix. It is regarded as the best tavern across any realm and exists as an easy stop for many travelers. Due to its nature, creatures of all shapes and sizes can be found here. This variety also applies to food and drink. No matter how many people you ask, nobody will have the same answer for their favorite meal from this tavern. Not much is known about the barkeep but they have been running it for as long as anyone can remember. Time in Firix runs similar to Kaelmoria, causing many patrons to return on their lunch break.

## Griogoros, The Ageless Forest

Home to sprites, pixies, blinkdogs, and other similar creatures; Griogoros acts as the enchanted forests from folktales across Kaelmoria. Griogoros has some small hills but is primarily a flat enchanted forest with unique trees and creatures, not often found on other planes. Often revered as a sacred place of nature by druids, many try to protect this plane from unnecessary travelers. Despite the resentment towards visitors, many medical specialists seek out various plants from this plane as they have unique properties that have proven extremely effective against diseases. Time in Griogoros is faster than Kaelmoria, although not as fast as that of Ekksa. Approximately two years in Griogoros equates to one year in Kaelmoria, further increase many's desire to explore such a vast and unique forest.

## Ibith, The Rotting Forest

Illuminated by pale blue bioluminescence, Ibith is a unique underground jungle filled with equally unique plants and animals. Almost everything in this forest glows in some capacity or at one point did; countless ancient carapaces scatter the ground creating a feeling of dread in this forest. Most of the plants are some form of fungi polluting the air with spores and coating the ground and massive trees. The spores make this forest a death sentence for almost anything native to Kaelmoria. The air alone is dangerous enough but when the larger creatures move, they often disturb the trees shaking free all of the spores making them fall to the ground, almost like snow. No creature from Kaelmoria has been known to survive a spore fall. Similar to Griogoros and Ekksa, time in Ibith is faster than that of Kaelmoria with ten years in Ibith lasting only one year in Kaelmoria.

## Onodor, The Hallow Summit

Often thought of as the house for the gods, Onodor is the plane for souls in the afterlife who were deemed goodhearted and worthy. At the center of Onodor is The Hallow Summit, a large mountain with a large hall on top where the gods gather. Surrounding the mountain are lush green fields that extend forever, only broken by the occasional river or brook. As the home of various celestials, most live in the fields or on the lower half of the mountain. Time for Onodor, similar to its counterpart Ekksa, is faster than that of Kaelmoria, with three years in Onodor lasting only one year in Kaelmoria.

## Oromagne, The Winter Vale

Few places are as unforgiving as Oromagne, a plane of rock and ice in a perpetual blizzard. The only creatures on this plane are those who favor the bitter cold and steep cliffs such as frost giants, ice trolls, some griffins, and other similar monsters from the folktales of Kaelmoria. In addition to the steep mountains, there is an abundance of caverns carved into the ice leading deep below the surface. Often pitch black, these caves pose a greater threat to a traveler than the blizzard on the surface. Aside from the occasional encounter with a monster, not much is to come of travelers in this plane. Time on this plane seems to be affected by the cold weather with five years in Oromagne lasting one year on Kaelmoria.

## Shadowfell, The Soul Plane

A bleak landscape devoid of any color, Shadowfell is one of the grimmest planes to exist. Populated exclusively with shades and other creatures of shadow and darkness, this plane leaves a worse impression than Oromagne. Traversing this plane is dangerous on its own, with many of the ways passing along steep cliffs and crumbling mountain passes. The only aid in this dark landscape is the occasional bridge or support left by previous travelers, although each one could easily be a century old. For any traveler that seeks passage by the solid ground would find nothing but a path of bones made from all those who tried to cross this plane. Time in Shadowfell mirrors that of Kaelmoria.

## Teldorok, The Crystal Sea

One of the more serene planes, Teldorok is a clear blue ocean with infinite depth broken only by large twisting pillars of salt. Waves constantly crash against these pillars with schools of fish just below the surface. Many travelers enjoy the scenic view and relaxing nature of this plane, but most are still wary of the dangers in the deep. The largest and most formidable creatures of sea originate from this plane, deep below the surface. The fear of krakens, aboleths, and similar monsters often keeps travelers to the surface. Similar to the various other planes of folklore, time in Teldorok is faster than in Kaelmoria with five years in Teldorok leading to one year in Kaelmoria.

## Vitrium, The Mirage Expanse

One of the most harmless yet terrifying planes, Vitrium, has had the most avoidance of all planes. Some will occasionally seek Balanvar or Ekksa in order to make a deal, but nothing of good will come from Vitrium. Often referred to as The Mirage Expanse, this plane is a solid layer of mirrored glass with various mirrors of infinite variety floating around. When travelers enter this plane the mirrors tend towards them and reflect various ideas the traveler has, the deepest fears they didn't even know they had or the crushing reality they worry about every day. No two mirrors show the same reflection and almost every traveler that ventures to this plane will not return to Kaelmoria. To accentuate the agony, time in Vitrium works similar to The Astral Plane, where time in Kaelmoria is almost at a standstill.