Settlements of the Elemental Sphere

Settlements of the Elemental Sphere is an arcane tome gifted to Ashewan Norvegicus by Forsythe Howell.

## Description

A richly adorned tome set with coloured glass within its front cover, Settlements of the Elemental Sphere wields a self-explanatory title that details in a sentence the contents of its pages. Covering the four elemental planes with reference to the paraelemental and other affiliated or otherwise related locations, the details are by no means a travel guide, instead a catalogue of noteworthy settlements.

## Reading

### Completed by Ashewan Norvegicus

Anyone with any understanding of the Inner Planes will understand the fluid nature of its nature, the Elemental Sphere is not static as diagrams prepared for acolytes and neophytes might passingly suggest. The pure elemental planes, that of Air, Earth, Fire and Water ripple over the surface of the elemental chaos of the Sphere, surely if one was omnipresent enough to view it as such, it might appear as a vast glassy-bubble, droplets of coloured ink continuously shimmering, casting out ripples that combine and collide at their extremities, creating new colours anew. I, and many scholars before me have posited that each of the elemental planes ripples from points referred in scholarly circles as loci or seeds, places that exemplify the plane definitively. Due to their stability - as stable as a locale within the elemental chaos can truly be - it is upon, or immediately adjacent to these loci or seeds that those that reside upon the Elemental Sphere have come to build their settlements. Some, the greatest of the settlements - such as those that are home to the ruling genies, or domains claimed by the Archomentals, are surely loci or seeds in their own right.

#### The Elemental Plane of Air

> *"The breeze that plucks a single petal, the gale that shatters mountains. It is the air that lifts to places anew, and the space in which one falls forever..."*
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By nature of the composition of the Elemental Plane of Air, the settlements within its territories are often constructed upon the earthmotes that drift upon the winds, remnants of failed invasions by the residents of the Elemental Plane of Earth. Others still build upon dense cloud banks laced through with arcane, divine and/or primal magics, making them strong enough to form anything from trading posts to vast cities. The Labyrinth Winds, a complex network of airstreams, currents, storms and breezes winds through them all, forming the "roads" of the plane.

##### Aaqa, Cradle of the Breeze

A glimmering peak atop an earthmote that serves as home to a vast fertile and vibrant jungle, Aaqa is considered by most to be the greatest city in the Plane of Air, ruled by the Wind Dukes, hailing from an ancient race of elementals as unlike from djinni as djinni are from air elementals. Said to be champions of law and good, they watch over their dominion from spires of silver, served by aarakocra and other species resident to the Plane. It is said that because the Dukes control the Labyrinth Winds, only those that have desire to engage in conversation with can truly find the Cradle of the Breeze, and so it is far more common for envoys and dignitaries of the Wind Dukes to be encountered within the capitals of their numerous vassals states, most notable amongst them the Apogee Palatinate, Cloud's Rest, Taifun and the Custodians of Kjokelin.

##### The Citadel of Ice and Steel

Grandest of the cities of the djinni, bested only in greatness amongst all the Plane by that of Aaqa itself, the castle in the clouds known as the Citadel of Ice and Steel is constructed upon a vast shard of elemental ice and earth, buffeted and polished by the swirling winds until it reached its current state, shining like a vast glowing gemstone several miles wide. A city of arching architecture of blue and grey metal, stone and ice, the settlement perpetually feels as if it is in light freefall, stirring a sense of weightlessness to any within its walls.

##### Taifun, Palace of Tempests

Within the depths of Sirocco Straits, where flame and lightning spark through the air is the Place of Tempests. Built along the cliffs of a floating mountain filled with geothermal activity, Taifun is a fortress-city that has come to serve as a skyport for the bravest, boldest and most brash aership pilots in the cosmos. Although considered a vassal to the city of Aaqa, the Wind Duke that serves as the ruler of the settlement is bold in their aspirations, particularly when they eye the masses of pilots and vessels that have come to seek out their domain.

##### Tower Aeros

Continuously in rotation as it is buffeted by the winds, Tower Aeros is shaped somewhat like a vast windmill and weather vane, carried by the Labyrinth Winds in a state of perpetually meandering travel. At the heart of the settlement is a vast market that while paling in comparison to that found within the City of Brass, specialises in the training of shipwrights and creation of aerships powered by elemental magic.

##### The Skytide Confederation

Shrouded from afar in a vast blue mist, the settlement of Skytide claims to hold strong ties with the Elemental Plane of Water. Regardless of the truth of the matter, it does indeed seem that many pirate captains and marauders have come to call Skytide home, spreading out to ply the winds for sake of plunder and loot, oft seeking to offload their gains before calls for council beckon them back - wherein anything upon their vessel is expected to be paid towards the benefits of the Confederation itself.

#### The Elemental Plane of Earth

> *"The weight that holds riches beyond imagination, toil beyond comprehension, resolve beyond expectation and surely too graves for those that dig too deep..."*
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A vast expanse of solid stone, dirt and other matter pockmarked with caverns, caves, fissures, burrows, voids and other pockets of minerals, space or elsewise, travel from settlement to settlement within the Plane of Earth relies on the passage of those that have come before, hunting for precious ores and minerals, or the determination and resolve of the individual with pick in hand, keen to literally carve their own path.

##### The Sevenfold Mazework

Capital city of the dao, hidden at the heart of the labyrinth of slave-filled tunnels known as the Great Dismal Delve, the Sevenfold Mazework is likewise a vast network of interwoven districts carved from stone, metal and crystal alike. The Palace of the Great Khan, said to be carved from a single vast emerald lying at the heart, is perpetually modified, recut and polished by master jewellers to match the whims of the Emerald Sultan themselves. Much of the Elemental Plane of Earth pays fealty to the nobles of the Sevenfold Mazework, although the Great Khan claims further lands still, both on the Plane and elsewhere, including that of swathes of land in Phlegethon, the third layer of the Windswept Depths of Pandemonium - home to the vassal states of Phaogok, Kharuth and Chainpoint, as well as settlements in the first layer of the Heroic Domains of Ysgard - Mjors, Acacius and Crezzare - and swirling motes of earth and crystal scattered throughout the Ever-Changing Chaos of Limbo, including the city of Dazzlestorm. According to the Overlords of the Emerald Sultan, the rights of the Mazework to these locales stems to supposed tales that they were once of the Plane of Earth, but with the collisions of the Wandering Worlds against the Elemental Sphere, found themselves embedded and carried beyond the scope of the Inner Planes.

##### Crucex

A bastion watching over the Iron Crucible - an elemental vortex of earth and fire that flowed with liquid metal from the depths of the Plane all the way to the Sevenfold Mazework (and thus serving as a means of transport between the City of the Dao and the City of the Efreet), Crucex is a fortress wrought entirely from a vast block of metal. From the battlements of iron, all manner of militant elementals stand at perpetual attention, guarding the approach towards the Great Dismal Delve.

Similar structures exist elsewhere in the Plane, including in the Paraelemental Planes of Dust and Mud, where dao-led armies clash with djinni and marid forces respectively.

##### Vadslold

Greatest of the cities of the numerous stone giant colonies located on the Plane, Vadslold is a city of artistry, particularly so that of runecraft. Creatures from across the Wandering Worlds are known to travel to Vadslold to seek patronage from the masters of the city, aspiring to be taken on as students and apprentices for a time. Vadslold is also home to a large population of Crysmals, creatures of crystalline form, known for their psionic prowess but distinct from Shardminds, another crystalline species not native to the Plane.

##### Jannekh, City of Sand and Salt

Surrounded by a wide-reaching subterranean desert composed of a combination of coarse sand capable of parting skin from fascia and acidic salt that readily burns most types of flesh, Jannekh is city rarely visited, so much so that few records exist of what, if anything, actually resides within its walls and the dome that seals the settlement from the harrowing storms that whip up with sudden fury throughout. There is, however, no denying the twisted worms with eroded flesh that burrow within the lands that surround the City of Sand and Salt, further complicating any attempts to reach the settlement’s gates.

#### The Elemental Plane of Fire

> *"The heat that stirs the most distant soul, the haze that shapes the deepest desires and fantasies, the flame that consumes even ash and bone..."*
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The very essence of the Plane is heat, and thus for the unprepared travel through the Elemental Plane of Fire is quickly fatal. For residents, many will take the Sea of Fire aboard specially crafted vessels, passing across waves of flame and molten rock as readily as one might the waves of a gentle lake. Elsewhere, where landmasses of blackened rock, stone and obsidian can be found, one can simply walk - though must pay heed to vents of toxic fumes that shift over the landscape like packs of hunting dogs.

##### The City of Brass

Arguably the most famous of the settlements of the Elemental Sphere, the City of Brass is the home of the Efreet, resting on the shorelines of the Sea of Fire. From the Charcoal Palace, the Noble Emir commands authority over legions of warriors and merchants alike - for the market squares and bazaars of the city are said to be amongst the most diverse and awe-inspiring in the cosmos.

##### Mhul Azodukhur, Hammer of the Haze

Throughout the volcanic chains and mountain ranges collectively known as the Fountains of Creation, azers have constructed a number of cities, from the subterranean nexus of Nhumtarulhr to the valley of Tephra's Gauntlet, but most striking amongst them is surely Mhul Azodukhur, a masterful and complex city that hangs suspended between the greatest of the Fountains' peaks upon vast chains of glowing metal. From a distance, the city itself appears to be akin to the form of a giant metal nail, a colossal staked point interwoven with chambers, halls and forges that produce wondrous items that are highly sought after across the Plane, and beyond. With the rumble of the surrounding lands, Mhul Azodukhur rises and falls, causing the pointed tip at the base of the city to repeated clash against a bed of igneous rock beneath it. Set at the very point of contact is the acclaimed foundry known as the Forge of Anvikr, wherein smiths shape metal directly using the weight of the city looming overhead.

##### Conflagrator's Ash

A blackened temple-city at the edge of the vast inferno known as the Great Conflagration, Conflagrator's Ash is perpetually bathed in ash and soot from the supposed domain of the Archomental Exto. Within the settlement, representatives of the three sects that revere the Primordial Prince, the Order of Ignited Souls, the Fervency and the Disciples of the Unquenched are known to meet on occasion, seeking to listen for the answers hidden within the heat haze of the air, and the crackle of the flames stretching off into the distance.

##### Tukaar

Hidden in the depths of the Sea of Fire, Tukaar's residents are predominantly salamanders and their larvae, fire snakes. Comparable in an odd and otherworldly manner to the cities residing beneath the surface of Cobalt Sea, these salamanders revelled in the relative peace of their surroundings, occasionally rising up to raid or trade with vessels passing by overhead. From Tukaar it is said that a Salamander King actively plots against sycophants of the Flaming Chain, who have repeatedly worked to enslave salamander-kind beneath their master’s rule.

##### Xhanthuth, Arena of the Molten Melee

Originally of the Wandering World of Acheron, the blasted battlefield of Xhanthuth has since found itself surrounded by a vast stadium, and from that stadium a settlement has since developed, serving those that would come to bear witness to the violence taking place within. Xhanthuth still seems to maintain some connection with the Infinite Battlefields, and so combatants find themselves accidentally transported to the city, fighting in the sweltering heat of a never-truly setting sun for the entertainment of those gathered.

#### The Elemental Plane of Water

> *"The current that guides through coral and kelp, the riptide that tears into the deep. It is the changing tide that never rests, the crushing wave that shatters and drowns all in its path..."*
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Arguably the easiest of the core Elemental Planes to traverse - provided one has means to swim and breathe underwater - near all within the Plane of Water can be reached by simply that, swimming. Upon the surface that stretches into the horizon, ships travel from bay to atoll, while other residents ride upon great beasts, monsters and other creatures beneath the waves. Winding from the endless shallows to the crushing depths are currents that serve to rapidly elevate and descend those with knowledge of their location, and the strength to resist their endless flow.

##### Citadel of Ten Thousand Pearls

Home of the Shimmering Padishah of the Marids, the vanity and pride of geniekind associated with the Elemental Plane of Water is on clear and full display at the Citadel of Ten Thousand Pearls in the warmer waters of the Sea of Light. Surrounded by vast shoals of multicoloured fish that are claimed to be able to meld into a vast scaled wall in times of conflict, it is a city of wonder, splendour and excess. The Prismarine Prince technically rules over dozens of marid castles, keeps and palaces throughout the Plane, but maintains a loose grasp over each, giving them a fluidity and flexibility to largely govern themselves as they see fit.

##### City of Glass

Home to the Cerulean Council, the City of Glass stands as a neutral ground for many of the inhabitants of the Elemental Plane of Water, with representatives of all the major races of the Plane sitting upon the Council, and there are reports that the Archfey Ulanta also holds an honorary seat as a frequent and noteworthy visitor to the settlement. The City itself is as diverse, highly cosmopolitan and inhabited by both water and air-dwelling races, some districts sealed within domes, others submerged, while the city itself constructed from polished crystal, ice, kelp and coral alike into homes and markets alike.

##### Flotsam, City of Castaways

Throughout the waterways of the cosmos are connections to the Elemental Plane of Water. Few can be easily located however, and thus on occasion serve as a trap for sailors and their ships. Of those that unexpectedly find themselves transported to the Elemental Sphere, very few succeed in finding their way back. Those not slain by raiders from the waves below or sunk by deluges of heavy rain and phantom waves that rise without warning may find themselves forced to seek new lives for themselves on motes of earth that float along the surface, binding them together with rope and timber alike.

Largest amongst these is the island of Flotsam, which rides the waves as an amalgamation of hundreds of broken ship parts, forging a Kingdom on the surface of the endless sea, though few Kings rarely survive the endless mutinies and infighting for long.

##### Vault of Phirrkoz

A massive iceberg that drifts through the Sea of Ice said to house a bounty and treasure bound to its frozen core, the contents and the creator of the Vault of Phirrkoz are lost to the ages. Even the word Phirrkoz is seemingly unknown, is it a name, a location, a declaration of its contents? Regardless, it is claimed for those few that manage to survive the dangers of the Sea of Ice, they will find the berg to be crawling with dangers in the form of beasts, monstrosities, the arcane and other horrors besides.

##### Yag'rognne, The Sunken Imprecation

A city a measure too large for even a colony of giants, Yag'rognne is an ancient settlement of titanic monoliths, collapsing and inverted towers, and roads that refuse to lead to their presented destination. The Darkened Depths present many mysteries, and hide many further still beneath the crushing pressure of an endless mass of water, so all but naught have the means to find, let alone explore, the enigma of the Sunken Imprecation.