Astral Veil

The **Astral Veil** is a alternate plane on which some campaigns in the World of Io take place. A place of abundant magical energies, the denizens of Io draw upon the Astral as the source of their arcane powers in the absence of the gods, their previous source of magic. However, the Astral Veil is more than use an energy source, it is also the home of many diverse peoples with their own cultures and histories.

## Appearance

The Astral Veil appears as a series of floating landmasses suspended in a starry purple space. The lands of the Astral do not appear to be quite as diverse as those of Io, though there is likely some variations in its limitless expanse. Most of the land found in the Astral resemble features found on Io, such as rocks and trees. However, these features are distinct from entities on the Prime Plane and are typically sparser. The lands of the Astral are also populated and thus possess manmade structures in addition to natural ones.

## History

The Astral Veil was first created as an unintended consequence of the Jupiter Incident, along with its sister plane the Shadow. The Astral was created through the excessive magical energies unleashed during the event, which coalesced to form a new dimension that overlaps with the Prime Plane. The Astral expanded into infinity, and the boundless magics within began to stabilize. During the creation of the Astral, fragments of the souls of the Astari people, rend asunder by the Nova, were cast into the nascent plane. There, with the exception of one, they were reborn as new beings, which populated the Astral Veil as its new inhabitants. These beings eventually began to understand the land they now occupied, create their own societies and cultures, and pass on their way of life to their offspring.

While the Astral was known of to the people of Io, it was never of much importance to them as the gods DIV and VOID provided them with the power to utilize magic. When DIV and VOID were killed by The Fallen Heroes, the source of magic shifted from the gods to the Astral. Though certain powers were lost to mortality due to the death of the gods, such as resurrection, the Astral became a more-than-adequate substitute for all other forms of magic. The Astral became an object of worship for some religious orders, while scholarly circles devoted much of their attention to deciphering its mysteries.

## Regions

As a alternate plane, the Astral Veil is a reflection of the Prime Plane. As such several locations in Io are mirrored in the Astral. For example, the Astral Academy is in the same relative location as the Exodus Academy across both planes.

### The Astral Archives

One of the most important landmarks of the Astral Veil is the Astral Archives. A enormous building, not unlike a castle, found upon an isolated island, the Archives acts as a repository of knowledge, with an incredible library, a magical forge and several facilities that can assist aspiring scholars, such as kitchens, dormitories and classrooms. The Archives are maintained by its sole resident, an Astari by the name of Headmaster Levin.

### Githyanki Village

Near by the Astral Archives, in the shadow of a mountain range, is a village of Githyanki, a native species of the Astral Veil. The Githyanki village is small, simple and peaceful, resembling that of a normal village on Io. Just north of the village is a cavern, where the Gith commune with the memories of their ancestors.

### The Spire

Far from the Archives is another institution called the Spire. A collective of scholars and wizards, the Spire focuses on researching and understanding the many arcane phenomena within the Veil. One such group within the Spire is the Githzerai, a subspecies of Gith that devote their lives to tranquility and knowledge.

### The Crypt of Nycrona

In the depths of the Astral Veil lies the crypt of a powerful lich, an undead Astari named Nycrona. Deep in a series of caverns inhabited by the wandering husks of his people, the Crypt is a trove of forbidden and dangerous knowledge. However, the Astari lich does not hand out such knowledge freely, and much of the underground tomb is filled with traps to drive off the unworthy.

## Campaigns

The following campaigns and events take place in the Astral Veil.

# **Final Battle Vs. Kaasma Khara**

## Etymology

"Astral" usually refers to the stars or something resembling them, but can also refer to a supposed non-physical realm of existence in which several psychic and paranormal phenomenon occur and physical entities are said to have a ethereal counterpart. The term is derived from the Latin word *Astrum*, meaning "star".

## Mechanics

*Main article: Technical Details*
The world of Io is a heavily homebrewed setting with many experimental mechanics working at the same time. As an example, there are mechanics that apply only to certain campaigns, and there are mechanics that can be or are shared between multiple campaigns.

## Trivia

* The Astral Veil first appeared in The Arcane Academy Episode 7.
* The Astral Veil is the first alternate plane of existence that appeared in the World of Io series.