Contents

The Planar Metropolis of Sigil

The Planar Metropolis of Union

Alterations to Published Planes

The Blessed Fields of Elysium

    
• The Green Mountain: The second layer, Eronia, is a land of steep hills and mountains. One mountain in particular, however, is not made of rock- it is, instead, an enormous plant. This mountainous tree is the home and palace of Gaeya, the Taeran goddess of Forests, Nature, and Plants. She abides here with her demigods, among the miles of branches and leaves, and hollow chambers grown out of the living mountain provide working and living space. At the crown of the tree is her throne chamber, the Cathedral of Green, which is not a hollow in the trunk but rather an enormous space bounded by a netlike weave of supple braches. Just outside the Cathedral's main entrance is a permanent portal to the Elemental Plane of Wood, and specifically Gaeya's realm of Druidia within it. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning the Green Mountain have DCs of 15-25.

The Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus

    
• The Hall of Justice: Luthor, the Taeran god of Law, Truth, and Revenge, holds a realm consisting of 24 cogs (one for each chapter in the Lexicon, his religion's holy book) in the Great Machine that is Mechanus, including one cog in the center which is fully 500 miles across- one of the plane's largest. At the exact center of that largest gear stands a vast cathedral-like edifice of white marble towers, buttresses, and enormous windows of silvered glass, gilded with gold. This building, the Hall of Justice, is Luthor's home in the Multiverse as well as his central office. Though Luthor's demigods all have homes on the same cog, only Luthor himself actually lives in the Hall, along with a few favored petitioner servants to handle maintenance and less important work. In the Chamber of Judgement, Luthor receives visitors, most of whom are petitioners newly arrived in his realm awaiting final judgement and assignment to their first duties in the afterlife. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning the Hall of Justice have DCs of 15-20.

The Concordant Domain of the Outlands

    
• The Amphitheatre: Home to Lyre, the Taeran god of Poetry and Harmony, the Amphitheatre is just what its name suggests (though, admittedly, on a divine scale). An enormous (more than 3 miles wide and half a mile deep), circular, outdoor pavilion, the Amphitheatre is constructed such that any being standing on the stage at its center can be easily heard by anybody and everybody in the seats surrounding it. Magic built into the area by the god similarly enhances the vision of any beings present, allowing them to clearly see the performers on stage no matter how far from the center they happen to be sitting. Here, Lyre, his demigods, servants, and petitioners, spend their time endlessly performing songs, verse, plays, and other art for the appreciation and amusement of themselves and whatever crowds arrive to watch. Though Lyre's tastes do not match those of all planar inhabitants, the Amphitheatre normally draws a crowd of several thousand planar travellers at any given time, whatever the season and performance. All creatures are welcome to attend, but hecklers are always dealt with harshly, usually by Lyre himself sending them suddenly to some location they would consider most unpleasant (for instance, a trio of Demons who booed and yelled catcalls at a noted poet on stage one evening were immediately Plane Shifted to the ocean of Holy Water on the first layer of the Heavens). Lyre's only concern is for entertainment, but he has little patience for people determined to ruin an experience for others, whether or not they appreciate the performance themselves.
    
• The Library of Eternity: Housed within a mountain ten miles high is what most credible scholars declare the largest and most extensive library in the Multiverse. The corridors and chambers of the enormous place honeycomb the entire mountain, and every chamber and hall is lined with seemingly endless shelves of books, scrolls, and other documents of all kinds, as well as myriad tables piled high with the same. This sage's paradise is the home and hearth of the god Methus, whose purview is Knowledge, Exploration, and History. The unthinkably enormous collection is meticulously catalogued despite its size, and is reputed to contain every book one could ever care to read on any topic. Maintaining the collection's premier status are Methus's thousands of petitioners, and even some of its mortal worshippers, who often learn methods of planar travel specifically to come here. Methus itself (its usual form is an extremely tall, gray-skinned Psylon illithid) can nearly always be found somewhere in the complex, perusing some new book or checking a cross-reference in the stacks. Methus and its servants are nearly always willing to allow planar travellers to research within the collection, but those who are not members of Methus's church are generally charged stiff fees for the privelege (on the order of 100-1000 gp × the DC of the check required to answer the question). Even with such exorbitant fees, however, many are willing to pay the price, because it is virtually impossible for the Library's vaults to not contain the answers to any question worth asking (Methus reportedly offers a full refund plus extra, if the question cannot be answered). The time it takes to find the answer within the vast edifice can be anywhere from a few hours to several months, but in the end, no known questioner has ever walked away without finding an answer.
    
• The Temple of Time: Initia (Taeran goddess of Time, Fate, and Beginnings) maintains this domain on the first layer of the Outlands. She uses it both to receive guests and petitioners, and to provide homes for her demigods, proxies, and other notable servants. The Temple of Time is a huge complex of buildings, courtyards, and parks sprawling over approximately 50 square miles. The buildings and other structures are made mostly of a translucent gray crystal within which shadowy patterns can be seen if one looks closely; it is said that the records of lives from past and future alike can be read in them. Her servants are allowed to decorate their own spaces with whatever they like, and her demigods in particular make significant changes to their abodes. Bezos's outbuilding, for example, is made of perfectly translucent crystal, and has spheres scattered all over its grounds (many of which are actually Crystal Balls of various kinds). The primary motif of the Temple of Time follows the patterns of Initia's own faith, with numerous delicate buttresses suggesting strands of spider webs, columns resembling stretched-out hourglasses, and thousands of timekeeping devices placed everywhere throughout. Initia receives visitors in the Gray Sepulcher, a vast chamber within the complex's largest building that contains Initia's ornate throne and a large portal through which she draws energy from the Temporal Energy Plane. The Temple of Time is maintained and guarded by Initia's petitioners, and her created servants, the creatures known as Time Spiders.

    
• Normal Gravity.
    
• Normal Time.
    
• Infinite Size: The second layer of the Outlands is a great disk, just like the first layer, spreading an infinite distance from its hub. The area around the hub is the most important part of the plane, because distance itself is a flexible concept in the Outlands (as noted in the Manual of the Planes). This layer of the Outlands is easy to tell apart from the first layer, because its hub is an infinitely deep Pit, instead of an infinitely tall Spire. The Pit is generally visible only once one gets within a few miles of the center, but the land slopes down towards it for hundreds of miles around, so the direction towards the center is relatively easy to discern throughout most of the plane (Survival DC 10).
    
• Divinely Morphic: This trait disappears close to the center of the plane, and even deities are affected by its nature.
    
• No Elemental or Energy Traits.
    
• Strongly Neutral-Aligned: This trait, more than anything else, is what keeps people from establishing outposts and homes on this layer, and even the knowledge of it from most planar explorers and researchers. The second layer of the Outlands imposes its own alignment trait upon those who enter it, just as most of the Outer Planes do. Since this becomes annoying to creatures who do not actively and constantly work for total Balance, few who come here are willing to stay for long.
    
• Normal Magic, Impeded Magic, and Limited Magic: Just like the first layer, the Flip Side of the Outlands imposes restrictions on supernatural powers and abilities as one gets closer to its hub.
    
• Knowledge (the Planes) DC: 35. Because the second layer of the Outlands has so little to recommend a visit, few who know about it have ever bothered to put the knowledge to record.
    
• Notable Locations: The Flip Side is known to contain two significant locations, both resulting from non-native activity.
      
  • The Fields of Fate: One can find the primary living and working grounds of the goddess Initia on this second layer. All Petitioners who come to the Outlands through following her appear in her abode on the first layer, but some are eventually transferred to her "inner" home here. As with her Temple of Time on the first layer, there is a large portal to the Temporal Energy Plane located here, though it is rarely used. The Fields of Fate look like a flat, gray expanse covered with carefully woven threads in all imaginable colors. Presumably the colors form a pattern of some sort, but no being other than the goddess herself can claim to truly know what that pattern is or looks like, if there is one. The few buildings that exist here are scattered widely apart, and are all made by extremely tough, hard strands of a gray silklike material tightly woven to form huge, hollow shells. Initia's servants, the Time Spiders, are the most common creatures encountered here, though they rarely molest travellers unless provoked or attacked first.
      
  • The Eternal City: A mysterious city known by several names throughout the Multiverse (the two most common ones are Tanelorn and Amber), but always as the Eternal City, is located on this layer. Exactly who built the City is unknown, since (as noted above) there do not seem to be any creatures native to this layer- but over the millennia, several hundred people of all races have settled there. The Eternal City shows this diversity in its architecture, which has styles of every kind commonly seen on the planes, and many others that aren't common (or even seen at all outside its bounds). It is a peaceful place where travellers are welcomed and inhabitants engage each other constantly in earnest philosophical discussions. Many famous and powerful planewalkers eventually find their homes and places of rest there. It is said that while within the City, no creature ages, and therefore it is possible that some of those who settled there live there still, though hundreds or thousands of years have passed since they did so. Because the Eternal City is located less than 100 miles from the Pit, and the nature of the plane inhibits destructive powers, physical conflicts are very rare in this place- and when they occur, the participants in the conflict are invariably asked to leave. Attaining the peace of the Eternal City is no easy thing, and the inhabitants strive to ensure that all who do so are worthy of it. Though it has no walls or siege engines, it is assumed that the City has defenses of its own should it ever come under attack, but none now living there have ever seen such defenses in operation, nor have they ever seen conflict on a large enough scale to actually threaten it.

The Elemental Plane of Air

    
• Coexistent with the Astral and Ethereal Planes.
    
• Coterminous with several Elemental Planes. Towards the "center" of the Inner Sphere, Air is coterminous with Wood, providing the air which the Great Tree and its inhabitants breathe. At a distance from the "center," by contrast, arranged around it in a clockwise manner, the Plane of Air is coterminous with Smoke (towards Fire), Vacuum (towards Negative), Cold/Ice (towards Water), and Lightning (towards Positive).

    
• The Sky Palace: Within the Elemental Plane of Air is the demense of Denor, Taeran goddess of Air, Sky, and Flight. Called the Sky Palace, this domain is an enormous palace of translucent blue marble built on a huge cloud that never breaks apart even under the strongest winds. Within its halls, Denor and her servants (demigods, empowered elementals, and mortal petitioners alike) eternally fly and float, unburdened by the gravity that affects earthbound creatures. Though the palace itself looks like a gigantic Material Plane palace on the outside, and appears to allow only one direction of gravity, the inside architecture takes advantage of the plane's true nature and has rooms, hallways, and floors built in all directions. The grand dining hall, for instance, has banquet tables and chairs set up on all four of its walls, and its ceiling, as well as its floor, with an enormous crystal orrery providing light from the exact center of the chamber. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning the Sky Palace generally have a DC of 15-20.
    
• The Great Maelstrom: The Plane of Air has an enormous storm at its center, a gargantuan tornado eating its own tail, forming a toroidal storm literally 50 miles across. It is said that somewhere within the endlessly howling winds exists the abode of Akadi, the Queen of the Air Elementals. This idea is supported by the fact that Primal Air Elementals, while quite rare elsewhere on the plane (to say nothing of the rest of the Multiverse), actually seem to congregate here. Akadi herself is rumored to possess power to rival most gods, and is almost certainly a maximally advanced, Paragon Primal Air Elemental at the very least. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning the Great Maelstrom, or Akadi herself for that matter, have DCs of 30 or more.

The Elemental Plane of Cold/Ice

    
• Coexistent with the Astral and Ethereal Planes.
    
• Coterminous with several Elemental Planes. Arranged around it in a clockwise manner, the Plane of Cold is coterminous with Water, Steam/Mist, Superconductivity, Lightning, Air, Vacuum, Refrigerants, and Salt/Dessicant.

    
• Cold-Dominant: This planar trait means that the plane is suffused with a lack of heat so profound that it actively freezes anything brought into it from off-plane. Snow, ice, and other frigid landscapes are common on Cold-Dominant planes, and winter weather is the only kind seen. Creatures and objects in a Cold-Dominant plane take 3d10 points of Cold damage each round. Creatures of the Fire subtype tend to be extremely uncomfortable on Cold-Dominant planes, and those actually made of fire (such as Fire Elementals) or something molten (such as Magma Paraelementals) take double damage each round, as the cold literally consumes and sucks away their heat.

    
• Jotunheim: Thrym, the Taeran god of Ice and Winter, maintains his home in a field of frozen tundra that actually breaks the monotony of the endless ice with actual soil, albeit frozen soil. The realm resembles nothing so much as an especially cold arctic landscape of the Material Plane, and it is here that Thrym and his worshippers, followers, demigods, and other servitors spend eternity. Thrym's stated (if lofty) goal is to freeze the entire Multiverse, but for some reason known only to him he seems intent on starting with the Heroic Domains of Ysgard- and to that end, there is an enormous portal to that Outer Plane near his central keep in the heart of Jotunheim. Knowledge (the Planes) checks regarding Jotunheim have typical DCs of 20-25.
    
• The Mountain of Ultimate Winter: What legend calls the "center" of the Plane of Cold (a silly concept for an infinite plane) is a location so frigid that the air itself becomes frozen, forming a mountain several tens of miles tall. Creatures who come here that are not completely immune to cold are usually frozen solid within a few seconds; they must make Fortitude saves every round (DC 30) or be affected as if by an Absolute Zero spell (albeit one of truly immense proportions). Creatures which have Cold Resistance (but not immunity) receive a +1 inherent bonus to the save for every 5 points of Cold Resistance they possess; thus, a creature with Cold Resistance 20 would make the save with a +4 bonus. Even creatures which are (normally) immune to Cold entirely take 1d10 points of damage per round they remain in contact with the Mountain- and this applies even to most of the natives of the Plane of Cold itself (only powerful Ice Paraelementals- those of Elder or greater power- are immune). It is rumored by some who have come close to the Mountain that enormous shapes are dimly visible inside it, apparently bodies on a nearly unimaginable scale- but what these enigmatic bodies are or represent, or whether they even exist, is not known for certain. It is expected by planar scholars that if a single Ice Paraelemental manages to assume control over the entire race, that he or she will rule from the Mountain of Ultimate Winter in much the same way that the Elemental Lords rule from supercharged locations on their own planes. Knowledge (the Planes) checks regarding the Mountain of Ultimate Winter have a DC of 30 or more, depending on the exact topic.
    
• The Tomb of Frozen Dreams: Somewhere in the dripping expanse of glaciers and ice sheets near the Plane of Water, there is an extensive series of caverns buried in the ice. Within these caverns, a sect of Material Plane arcanists set up shop many centuries ago, to study the curious legend that the Plane of Cold is so cold that even intangible things such as ideas and words become frozen there. Though they did not, apparently, discover a cache of frozen thoughts or words, they did manage to open a portal to the Region of Dreams, and from that plane draw energy of collapsing dreamscapes into the Plane of Cold. This place, known as the Tomb of Frozen Dreams, is said to contain frozen remains of dreams from beings across the Multiverse, and in those dreams nearly any possible thought or knowledge can be found. Whether this is really true or not is not known to scholars, because the arcanists who originally made the Tomb live and work there still (and are, generally, not keen on letting outsiders in on their secrets); however, it is true that many creatures in need of secret knowledge have found it there- though none of them are willing to speak of the prices they had to pay to gain the information. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning the Tomb of Frozen Dreams have a DC of at least 25.

The Elemental Plane of Earth

    
• Coexistent with the Astral and Ethereal Planes.
    
• Coterminous with several Elemental Planes. Towards the "center" of the Inner Sphere, Earth is coterminous with Wood, providing the nurturing soil the Great Tree eats. At a distance from the "center," by contrast, arranged around it in a clockwise manner, the Plane of Earth is coterminous with Magma (towards Fire), Minerals/Crystals (towards Positive), Mud/Sludge/Ooze (towards Water), and Dust/Sand (towards Negative).

    
• The Pyramid Cavern: The Elemental Plane of Earth is home to Geb, the Taeran god of Earth, Crops, and Mountains and Caverns. An enormous pyramidal chamber 50 miles on a side, this god's domain is where he and his favored demigods, servants, and petitioners live and work. The grand palace at the center of the great cavern is said to be made of gold, platinum, and all manner of precious stones and jewels, and the twinkling "stars" and "sun" (which dims and brightens on a schedule identical to that of the Material Plane sun, though it never moves) set into the four-sided roof of his home are supposedly glowing gems of great size. The fields surrounding Geb's palace are carefully tended and worked by the happy souls of farmers who followed him in life, and all who come peacefully and pitch in are welcome to share the bounty of the fields at the end of each day-cycle. Every "day," the fields are planted, and the crops grow at an astounding rate until they ripen and are harvested in the early evening. Some of the crops are said to grow not food, but precious baubles made from gold, silver, ruby, or other precious materials. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning the Pyramid Cavern usually have DCs of 15-20.
    
• Grumbar: Somewhere in the solid heart of hardest stone at the center of the Elemental Plane of Earth is the court of Grumbar, King of all Earth Elementals. No traveller is known to have actually seen or talked with Grumbar, but there is a place far from the Dismal Delve of the Dao and the domains of outsider gods where the Primal Earth Elementals are seen more frequently than anywhere else in the Multiverse. While this is not direct proof of Grumbar's location, the Primal Earth Elementals are known to be his most favored vassals. It is said that Grumbar is as powerful as any god, and in any case he is virtually certain to be a maximally advanced, Paragon Primal Earth Elemental at a minimum. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning Grumbar have DCs of 30 or more.

The Elemental Plane of Fire

    
• Coexistent with the Astral and Ethereal Planes.
    
• Coterminous with several Elemental Planes. Towards the "center" of the Inner Sphere, Fire is coterminous with Wood, providing the heat and light necessary to the life of the Great Tree and its inhabitants. At a distance from the "center," by contrast, arranged around it in a clockwise manner, the Plane of Fire is coterminous with Smoke (towards Air), Radiance (towards Positive), Magma (towards Earth), and Ash (towards Negative).

    
• The Anvil: This simply-named fortress on the Plain of Burning Steel is aptly named, being shaped like an anvil, albeit one nearly three miles tall. The home and workshop of Keron, Taeran god of Fire, Crafts, and the Forge, the Anvil is a place of constant activity. Its myriad halls ring day and night with the clanging of metal on metal, and the stores of magical weaponry within its solid metal vaults are legendary. From this place, Keron and his demigods, servitors, and petitioners eternally create works grander than mortal minds can conceive. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning the Anvil normally have DCs of 15-20.
    
• The Violet Inferno: The Plane of Fire sees occasional explosions of flames hot enough to scorch even its natives, but in the burning heart of the plane, one particular inferno never dies down. Said to be the home of Kossuth, Tyrant-King of the Fire Elementals, this vast circular pit is filled to its 20-mile-wide brim with flames so hot that they burn beyond blue, into the violet range. While Kossuth's court has not been visited in living memory by any non-Fire Elemental, his presence there is supported by the fact that Primal Fire Elementals, while quite rare elsewhere in the Multiverse, are often seen there, sometimes even in numbers. Kossuth himself is said to wield power to rival most gods, and is almost certainly a maximally advanced, Paragon Primal Fire Elemental at the very least. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning the Violet Inferno, or Kossuth himself for that matter, have DCs of 30 or more.

The Elemental Plane of Water

    
• Coexistent with the Astral and Ethereal Planes.
    
• Coterminous with several Elemental Planes. Towards the "center" of the Inner Sphere, Water is coterminous with Wood, providing the moisture and water which is drunk by the Great Tree and its inhabitants. At a distance from the "center," by contrast, arranged around it in a clockwise manner, the Plane of Water is coterminous with Cold/Ice (towards Air), Salt/Dessicant (towards Negative), Mud/Sludge/Ooze (towards Earth), and Steam/Mist (towards Positive).

    
• The Coral Dome: Actually a sphere of blue coral 20 miles in diameter when seen from outside, this enormous bubble floating in the endless ocean of Elemental Water is the home and domain of Marna, the Taeran god of Water, Seas, and Ships. On the inside, the sphere maintains one constant direction of gravity, and the bottom half is filled with water. The upper half contains air, and an enormous ball of yellow fire which serves as a sort of sun for the sea held within the sphere. Constantly sailing this sea-within-the-sea are thousands of ships, home to the demigods, servitors, and petitioners of Marna. The god himself resides in an enormous floating palace which maintains its position in the exact center of the sphere, and has as many (or more) compartments below the water line as above it. Marna holds court in the ship's great hall, which is dominated by a deep swimming pool within which he reclines and swims when receiving visitors. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning the Coral Dome typically have DCs of 15-20.
    
• The Master Vortex: The Plane of Water is filled with currents that constantly churn the water and all it contains. According to the planar natives, and a few intrepid travellers who have spent most of their time exploring the endless reaches of the Infinite Sea, the currents are all born from the powerful swirling of one gigantic whirlpool at the heart of the plane. This enormous vortex is at least 40 miles across, and is said to be the home and court of Istishia, the King of all Water Elementals. Though no credible travellers claim to have actually visited the King or even seen his actual home at the heart of the Master Vortex, the fact that Primal Water Elementals (rarely seen elsewhere in the Multiverse) are often seen there supports the conclusion that Istishia swims deep within the unguessable currents of the place. Istishia is said to wield power to match all but the most powerful of gods, and is almost certainly a maximally advanced, Paragon Primal Water Elemental regardless of any other qualities he may possess. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning the Master Vortex, or Istishia himself for that matter, have DCs of 30 or more.

The Elemental Plane of Wood

    
• Coexistent with the Astral and Ethereal Planes.
    
• Coterminous with several Elemental Planes. Placed essentially at the "center" of the Inner Sphere, the Plane of Wood is coterminous with Air, Fire, Earth, Water, Positive, and Negative.

    
• Druidia: The Elemental Plane of Wood contains a base of the goddess Gaeya, the Nature goddess of Taera. This base is not her home, but is a place where she trains her Holy Rangers, Hierophant Druids, and other powerful servants. Druidia is an enormous bole in the Great Tree, where the width of the trunk swells to several hundred miles across and forms a rough sphere much like a tiny planet. On this sphere, the Great Trunk twists and shapes itself to the goddess's whims, and often the will of her chosen servants as well as part of their training. Buildings grander than the mightiest Wood Elf palaces dot the landscape, each formed directly from the wood of the Tree, and creatures loyal to Gaeya patrol its expanse constantly. One particularly large loop of wood forms a portal to Gaeya's true home- the Green Mountain in Elysium. Because it is a prominent training facility, Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning Druidia usually have DCs of 10-15.

The Ethereal Plane

    
• Elemental Ash: dark grey with flickering red
    
• Elemental Cold/Ice: flickering aquamarine
    
• Elemental Dust/Sand: mottled yellow and grey
    
• Elemental Embers/Stardust: rust
    
• Elemental Explosives: orange
    
• Elemental Lightning: flashing yellow, white, and blue
    
• Elemental Magma: flickering orange-red
    
• Elemental Minerals/Crystals: patchwork gold, silver, and white
    
• Elemental Mud/Sludge/Ooze: flickering brown
    
• Elemental Plasma: flickering yellow
    
• Elemental Powder/Evaporation: swirling olive green
    
• Elemental Radiance: flickering rainbow of all colors
    
• Elemental Radioactivity: shimmering green, gray, and violet
    
• Elemental Refrigerants: dark metallic grey
    
• Elemental Salt/Dessicant: swirling blue and black
    
• Elemental Smoke: flickering pink
    
• Elemental Steam/Mist: swirling blue and grey
    
• Elemental Superconductivity: magenta
    
• Elemental Vacuum: midnight blue with pinpricks of white
    
• Elemental Vapors: swirling pale blue
    
• Elemental Wood: mottled green, yellow, and brown
    
• Illumination: flickering lavender
    
• Magical Energy: metallic gold
    
• Psionic/Mental Energy: metallic copper
    
• Region of Dreams: swirling purple
    
• Temporal Energy: metallic steel blue

The Ever-Changing Chaos of Limbo

    
• The Changelands: The domain of Paradox, the Taeran deity of Change, Energy, Gray Magic, and Opposites, is currently a relatively tranquil field of grass, flowers, and other innocuous plants and animals covering a series of low and easy hills- all in a circular area 100 miles across. The fact that the hills move slowly up and down, like a slow version of waves at sea, does little to distract travellers who arrive here and use the place as a hospitable stopover in the roiling chaos of the plane outside. The "Changelands" is not the official name of the realm as decided by Paradox (that name is, instead, currently the "Rolling Hills"), but that is because this realm has only borne its current look (and name) for 10 years. Prior to that, it was a realm of harsh rock and lava (which for some reason did not burn, and actually provided those who ate it with all the nutrients they could need) called "Hell's Kitchen." Before that, it was an enormous ocean called the "Sea of Fate," and before that... well, the simple fact of the matter is that the name and configuration of Paradox's realm change every decade or two (and sometimes even more often). Within Paradox's realm, petitioners of the Spirit of Change come and go as they please, either enjoying what Paradox's realm has to offer them (regardless of its current configuration, it is always habitable and often pleasant to Paradox's petitioners) or exploring the roiling seas of Chaos outside it, as they see fit. Paradox maintains no central building or palace in the Changelands (whatever its actual name at the time), instead wandering the area and dealing with his (or her, or its, depending on Paradox's current form) petitoners, parishioners who have come from the Material and other planes, and any other visitors who arrive whenever the mood strikes the mercurial deity. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning the Changelands usually have DCs from 25-35, but the difficulty goes down if the realm keeps its form and location for a long time, while it goes up in the days immediately following a change as the information slowly disseminates through the wider Multiverse.
    
• The Golden Casino: The other domain of a Taeran deity in Limbo is held by Deceptor, the god of Chance, Luck, and Wealth. As befits a Luck god who also happens to be a Wealth god, the place is a hall of gambling on a divine scale, an enormous building of yellow and red marble covered entirely with plates of gold on its outside- floating aimlessly through the endless soupy mess of the plane. The Golden Casino is actually larger than most Material Plane cities, having literally thousands of floors (including hotel space for the petitioners of the god, and rooms for visitors at very reasonable rates) and being roughly 20 miles across. Within the Golden Casino, a cross-section of planar society- including rich adventurers with nothing better to use their hard-won loot for- come for the high-quality food, drink, and entertainment the place offers. Deceptor himself can often be found wandering the casino floors, greeting players and occasionally joining games. When not playing, the god is usually in his Central Office, dealing with high-level decisions about his holdings (the detailed accounts are kept by petitioners whose eternal task in the afterlife is to watch their god's books) and other important matters including business proposals and ventures. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning the Golden Casino have DCs ranging from 5-15 for most questions, as Deceptor has been careful to spread word of the place far and wide to attract business; however, questions concerning secret matters (such as casino security) usually have DCs of 35 or higher.

The Far Realm

The Gray Waste of Hades

    
• The Dark Labyrinth: On the third layer of Hades, eternally dying Pluton, there is a nightmarish realm constructed from bricks fired from the native clay. These green-gray blocks, mortared together by a macabre mixture of mundane cement, blood, and powdered bone, form an enormous three-dimensional maze with thousands of levels which is held inside a cubical edifice one hundred miles wide. In a 5-mile-wide cavity at the center of the maze, a palace formed to look like an enormous golden hourglass is Cenob's actual home, as well as that of his demigods and a very few highly favored servants. The Golden Hourglass is eternally rotating and sweeping beams of pure darkness across the portions and paths of the maze which are visible from it. These beams of darkness briefly connect the minds of any beings caught in them with that of dark Cenob himself, with the usual result that they are overwhelmed by their most painful thoughts and memories as the god activates and contemplates them. In the outer paths and corridors of the Labyrinth, Pain Elementals and other lesser servants of the god spend their eternity torturing luckless souls caught there, often Petitioners of Cenob himself whom the god decided had no other use upon their arrival. Not all souls under the "care" of the Pain Elementals are dedicated to Cenob, however; many souls of mortals sacrificed to Cenob in dark rites are held there as well, along with adventurers, soldiers, or spies who came to the Dark Labyrinth uninvited. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning the Dark Labyrinth have DCs of 25-35.

    
• Normal Gravity.
    
• Normal Time.
    
• Infinite Size: The fourth layer of Hades is as large as the other layers, which is a very disturbing thought to those who learn of its existence due to one trait in particular (see below).
    
• Sentient: Narkod, unlike every other Outer Plane known, is self-aware- and its proverbial heart is blacker than the blackest heart of the worst fiend who treads the ground of the other parts of Hades. As a sentient plane, Narkod (or whatever its true name is) is the only living thing in its infinite expanse, and it makes sure that things stay that way- eventually.
      It is possible that Narkod is aware of the other layers of Hades, and in fact, some scholars have suggested that the other three layers might have once been alive like Narkod, and Narkod killed them somehow in ages long past. Others have suggested that Narkod is ultimately responsible for the Entrapping trait that is unique to Hades, which is a likely possibility if it has any influence outside its own borders since it so enjoys "playing" with creatures that enter it. In an ironic twist, Narkod gives new meanings to the "entrapping" nature of Hades, as it usually creates ever-more elaborate and horrible traps to test and torment visitors to itself as they move through it- which get increasingly difficult to detect and avoid. And of course, as a sentient plane, Narkod is perfectly capable of preventing portals or plane-travelling magic and effects from working if it so desires- so a trip to Narkod is often one-way for the luckless or foolhardy planar travellers who go there.
      Finally, and most frighteningly of all, Narkod is apparently able to move. Though the sole known barrier leading to it (in a grove of black fruit trees deep in the heart of the Underworld, on Pluton) is always in the same place on Pluton, some groups of travellers who pass through it have found themselves separated from each other by significant distances once actually on Narkod- as if the Narkod side of the barrier was in motion. Additionally, Narkod is able to create portals to other planes from time to time, besides the Astral Plane and other layers of Hades; in fact, it is possible that some otherwise unexplained disappearances on the Material Plane are because Narkod created portals to it and lured the vanished people through. Narkod uses such portals to entrap luckless victims for its own amusement, wherever they happen to appear.
    
• No Elemental or Energy Traits.
    
• Strongly Evil-Aligned: Narkod, though intelligent, is just as evil as everything else native to Hades.
    
• Foreboding: This trait is a sinister variation on the Entrapping trait that is common to the rest of Hades. Narkod causes apathy and drains emotions other than hate just as the other layers of Hades do, with one exception: it enjoys causing fear and despair in the tiny creatures which occasionally show up inside itself. The DC of the Will save to resist Entrapment in Narkod is increased by +5, relative to the rest of Hades, because of the crushing sense of despair and doom that is constantly present there. More terrible still, every day spent in Narkod requires a creature to make a Will saving throw (DC 15 + the number of consecutive days spent in Narkod) or become Shaken by the endless silence of the lifeless, featureless place. This dread continues to increase each day, becoming Afraid the second day after the creature is affected, and actual Panic on the third. This fear cannot be overcome by any means once it starts, except by leaving the plane, but Narkod enjoys tormenting little things and does not often allow creatures to leave. Finally, a creature affected by the fear must make new Will saves each day, with the same DC, or go permanently insane (as if affected by the Insanity spell). As with the fear, any creature that goes insane in Narkod stays that way until it is able to leave the plane somehow (if Narkod lets it go).
    
• Impeded Magic and Limited Magic: Spells, psionic powers, and supernatural abilities which allow any form of planar or dimensional travel are impeded or limited on Narkod. They may be used only if the plane itself allows them to be, though some travellers who have "escaped" the plane claim they were able to overcome its will to stop them. This is at least possible, since in a place capable of causing permanent apathy even a sentient plane must eventually succumb, but it is certain that the Spellcraft DC to cast such a spell is at least 25 + the spell level at all times. It is also likely that this DC is variable depending on how amusing Narkod finds the victims trying to escape its grasp- naturally, it would be motivated not to let especially choice morsels get out.
    
• Knowledge (the Planes) DC: 45. Since Narkod is so lethal, so horrible, and so hard to escape, very few travellers in the history of the Multiverse have been there and come out again. Accordingly, stories and information about Narkod are extremely hard to come by. In fact, many travellers who went there simply call it "the Gray Plane," and have no knowledge that it is connected to Hades at all (the knowledge that it is is DC 50).
    
• Notable Locations: None. Narkod has no known significant locations, since nothing actually lives there, but occasional rumors surface from time to time about one or more artifacts of incredible potency which are held there for relative safekeeping (from the rest of the multiverse, at any rate). Though such rumors have never been proven, Narkod certainly would be an excellent place to put something one didn't want to ever be found again; of course, it has been correctly pointed out that Narkod could use escaping victims to spread such rumors itself in order to lure others in.

The Heroic Domains of Ysgard

The Infernal Battlefield of Acheron

The Infinite Layers of the Abyss

The Observatorium

The Olympian Glades of Arborea

The Negative Energy Plane

    
• Coexistent with the Astral and Ethereal Planes.
    
• Coterminous with several Elemental Planes. Towards the "center" of the Inner Sphere, Negative Energy is coterminous with Wood, absorbing the dead and decaying leaves and branches which fall from the Great Tree. At a distance from the "center," by contrast, arranged around it in a clockwise manner, the Plane of Negative Energy is coterminous with Ash (towards Fire), Dust/Sand (towards Earth), Salt/Dessicant (towards Water), and Vacuum (towards Air).

    
• Ruin of the Destroyer: Stories which mention this location claim that there were once three Overgods, not two, and that one of the three made its home here. That third Overgod tried to destroy all life in the Multiverse, including its two fellows, and was responsible for starting the First War. Though the entity is now no more (even its name has been lost to time), its domain was supposedly made of solidified negative energy, and may still exist deep in the inky blackness of the plane. Knowledge (the Planes) DCs regarding this subject are never less than 45.
    
• Antigods: Some theories of divinity claim that gods are souls so charged with Positive energy that their will can overwhelm the desires of reality itself. If that is so, the reasoning goes, then logically, it must be possible for similar beings infused with Negative energy to arise. Such an entity would stand in natural opposition to known gods of the Multiverse, since it would literally be capable of cancelling out everything they do simply by applying its own energies to the task; likewise, as matter and antimatter destroy each other, an Antigod should be capable of utterly annihilating a normal god through contact with it (though it would itself be destroyed in the process). This frightening concept has never been proven; any such entities which really do exist must hide themselves extremely well. The stories of the Destroyer Overgod mentioned above, however, hint that just as the present pair of Overgods have divine servants, so too did the Destroyer have anti-divine ones, which may still watch over the remains of its domain. Rumors of Antigods carry a Knowledge (the Planes) or Knowledge (Religion) DC of 40 or more.
    
• Vortex of Doom: In one of the larger Doldrums spins a spherical storm of black and green energy at least 20 miles across. This enigmatic place is said to be the home realm of Venom, the god of Destruction and Poison, but none outside that dark god's own faith have ever been able to confirm it. What the sphere contains, if anything, is unknown, because anything that enters it is destroyed. Knowledge (the Planes) DCs concerning the existence and location of the Vortex of Doom have DCs of 15-20, but any records of its contents (or lack thereof) are so obscure that Knowledge DCs regarding them are at least 60.

The Nine Hells of Baator

The Peaceable Kingdoms of Arcadia

The Positive Energy Plane

    
• Coexistent with the Astral and Ethereal Planes.
    
• Coterminous with several Elemental Planes. Towards the "center" of the Inner Sphere, Positive Energy is coterminous with Wood, providing the life force which grows the Great Tree. At a distance from the "center," by contrast, arranged around it in a clockwise manner, the Plane of Positive Energy is coterminous with Radiance (towards Fire), Lightning (towards Air), Steam/Mist (towards Water), and Minerals/Crystals (towards Earth).

    
• Animar: One of the two beings called Overgods, specifically the one dubbed Animar the Life-Giver, supposedly makes its home somewhere within the endless white expanse of Positive Energy. No living entity is known to have actually seen or travelled to the Domain of the Life-Giver, so details of what is actually there (assuming it really exists) are sketchy, and vary widely with the telling. Knowledge (the Planes) DCs for any questions related to this start at 40 and go up from there.
    
• Fields of the Unborn: Possibly linked to the above rumors, some stories claim that the souls of all sentient lifeforms originate in this plane, and that no creature is truly alive until the "spark" of its essence finds its way to the body from the Fields where it was made (or hatched, or grown, or whatever happens there). For some reason, gods (who would be the obvious ones to ask) seem either reluctant to discuss this subject, or actively pursue destruction of people who inquire too closely after it, so little is known. Knowledge (the Planes) DCs related to this feature of the Positive Energy Plane are always 35 or higher.

The Region of Dreams

The Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia

The Tarterian Depths of Carceri

The Temporal Energy Plane

The Twin Paradises of Bytopia

The Wilderness of the Beastlands

The Windswept Depths of Pandemonium

New Planes

Alternate Material Planes

Alternate Material Traits

Alternate Material Links

Alternate Material Inhabitants

Movement and Combat

Features of Alternate Material Planes

The Elemental Plane of Ash

Ash Traits

    The Elemental Plane of Ash has the following traits.

    
• Normal Gravity.
    
• Normal Time.
    
• Infinite Size: Despite being constrained by the other planes in the Inner Sphere that it touches on (see below), the Plane of Ash is infinite in size, due to the Sphere itself having infinite depth.
    
• Alterable Morphic.
    
• Cold-Dominant: The Elemental Plane of Ash is just as cold as the actual Plane of Cold, despite having no actual ice, snow, or wintery weather in it, and deals 3d10 Cold damage per round to unprotected creatures and objects which are there. Creatures of the Fire subtype tend to be extremely uncomfortable on Cold-Dominant planes, and those actually made of fire (such as Fire Elementals) or something molten (such as Magma Paraelementals) take double damage each round, as the cold literally consumes and sucks away their heat.
    
• Enhanced Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities with the Cold descriptor are both Empowered and Widened (as if the Empower Spell and Widen Spell feats had been used on them, but the spells don't require higher-level slots).
    
• Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities with the Fire descriptor, or that use or create fire, are impeded. They may still be cast, but require a Spellcraft or Psicraft check (as appropriate- DC 15 + spell or power level) to successfully cast.
    
• Knowledge (the Planes) DC: 30. With so little of interest to outsiders, and so little to recommend a visit, the Plane of Ash is usually regarded as little more than a curiosity by the few scholars who know of it at all.

Ash Links

    The Elemental Plane of Ash is part of the Inner Sphere in the Taeran cosmology, the arrangement of the Inner Planes which suggests a sphere of infinite size based on various concentrations of the basic Elements and the two primary Energies (Positive and Negative). It is linked to other planes in (and out of) the Sphere as follows:

    
• Coexistent with the Astral and Ethereal Planes.
    
• Coterminous with several Elemental Planes. Arranged around it in a clockwise manner, the Plane of Ash is coterminous with Fire, Magma, Explosives, Dust/Sand, Negative, Vacuum, Embers/Stardust, and Smoke.

Ash Inhabitants

    Like other Elemental planes (or at least, the full-size planes), Ash has its own native elemental spirits, the nasty Ash Quasielementals. There are no Primal Quasielementals as yet, or at any rate any such Quasielementals that do exist hide themselves extremely well; however, there are leaders among the Ash Quasielementals who may be trying to achieve such lofty heights of power. Additionally, most creatures that can be found in the Negative Energy Plane can be found in Ash, though few actually come from the also-neighboring Elemental Plane of Fire because of Ash's Cold-Dominant trait.
    One exception are the strange planar beasts called Rasts, which congregate in Ash in greater numbers than on any other plane. Rasts are normally vulnerable to Cold, but those in the Plane of Ash seem to lose this trait and become immune to it instead; as a result some sages speculate that perhaps the Rasts are actually native to Ash, and spread to Fire (and other planes they are spotted on) from there. Whatever the reason for their coming to Ash, the large packs- and even swarms- of Rasts often make for a very unpleasant surprise, for travelers who arrive in Ash- especially if said travelers try the usual methods (i.e. Cold attacks) of ridding themselves of the bothersome creatures.
    Planar travelers do not normally settle in the Elemental Plane of Ash, though a few research stations are maintained in it by wizards and other Arcane spellcasters interested in goals compatible with the plane. Examples include necromancers, who benefit from the close proximity to the Negative Energy Plane, Cold-spell specialists intent on studying the mystical connections between Fire and their own area of expertise, and even a few Fire magi who come to study end products of explosions and other types of burning.

Movement and Combat

    The ground of Elemental Ash is most similar to snow, for travelers used to the Material Plane or environments very much like it. Though relatively solid, a walker usually finds itself at least ankle-deep in the cinders and soot. The atmosphere is as thin as that of the neighboring Elemental Plane of Fire, so nonnative flyers find their movement rates cut in half and their maneuverability rating reduced by one grade.
    The landscape of the Elemental Plane of Ash no longer has the energy of Fire within it, and therefore stays relatively static except when changed by creatures for some reason. As a result, permanent structures can exist there more easily than in Fire, though as previously noted, very few beings in the Multiverse would have any reason to build here. Because the land is fairly static, though, creatures which can move through it (like Xorn) do not have their movement rates reduced as they would on the Plane of Fire- they are able to move normally.
    Aside from the hazards of the plane itself, combat is conducted normally on the Elemental Plane of Ash.

Features of the Elemental Plane of Ash

    The greatest danger of the Elemental Plane of Ash is its own Cold-Dominant trait. Aside from that, the plane holds few dangers for the prepared traveler, though like many Elemental Planes it has nothing in the way of edible food or water for nonnatives.
    Unlike the neighboring Plane of Fire, there is no natural light in Ash, except brief flare-ups when an explosion occurs (see below); as a result, travelers must have Darkvision or bring their own light in order to see anything while there. This may prove to be a Bad Idea, however, for the majority of light-giving spells or effects react explosively with the Coals (again, see below), and the Coals are very difficult to spot before it's too late. Because flames and activity are rare on Ash, the plane is generally very quiet, almost eerily so for travelers from more lively realms. Listen checks, though, are made normally on Ash, when there is something to hear.
    No known gods make their abodes in the Elemental Plane of Ash, but there are a few significant locations and planar events there nevertheless:

    
• Energy Tides: All of the Quasielemental planes share this annoying planar feature, because the intense, uncontrolled energy in the neighboring Energy Plane (in the case of Ash, the Negative one) washes into and out of the Quasielemental planes like ocean tides on shores. Every eight hours a traveler is on the plane, there is a 5% chance that it will be caught up in one of these Energy Tides. When an energy tide happens, the Quasielemental plane suddenly takes on the same energy trait as its neighboring Energy Plane (in the case of Ash, this means major Negative-Dominant). The material of the plane is swept away by the encroaching energy, and creatures and objects in the area are exposed to the full effects of the new planar trait. The tide lasts 1d3 × 10 minutes, and then recedes, leaving either a void in the planar material or newly-grown planar material (50% chance of either) in its wake. Creatures and objects that survived exposure to the tide must make Will saves (DC 20) when it recedes, or be swept away by the tide directly into the actual Energy Plane itself (and likely destruction there). Most planar scholars who are aware of the Quasielemental planes in general (i.e., as a whole rather than one or two individual planes such as Ash) are aware of this planar feature, so Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning it have a DC of 25. The knowledge is not common, but it is not especially rare either.
    
• Coals: Not all of the embers in the Elemental Plane of Ash are completely dead. A few still retain sparks of flame and energy deep in their hearts, and need only an outside spark to set them alight once more- even if only briefly. These regions of unstable ash are called Coals, and they are dangerous to anybody who uses flames or light of any sort.
      When exposed to direct flame, or brought within the radius of an effect which produces light, Coals explode with the force of a Fireball undimmed and unimpeded by the usual effects of Ash. The explosion is typically a 20-foot radius, though it may be larger for especially large patches of Coals at the DM's option. It deals 1d6 Fire damage per spell/power level of the effect which triggered the explosion, to all caught inside it. If a creature recognized the Coals for what they were prior to the explosion, then it is allowed a Reflex save (DC 15 + the spell or power level that caused the explosion) for half damage; otherwise, the burst is a complete surprise to the creature, and it takes full damage automatically.
      Patches of Coals may be recognized for what they are prior to explosion with a DC 25 Knowledge (the Planes) check; of course, under most circumstances one can't even see the Coals to identify them without light (at which point it's too late). Coals count as a CR 3 hazard if triggered, or recognized and avoided.
    
• Sludge Soot: The material of the Plane of Ash not only absorbs heat, but also anything of an energetic nature it comes into contact with. Sometimes especially heavy and absorbent cinders get packed together, and create a dangerous phenomenon called Sludge Soot.
      Sludge Soot behaves much like ordinary Ash until it is comes into contact with a magical or psionic effect- this occurs when it is within a spell or power's area of effect, or is within 5 feet of the target of a spell or power. When this occurs, the Sludge Soot immediately absorbs the energy, effectively granting any targets of the original spell or effect a mandatory Spell/Power Resistance of 30 (this temporary "Resistance" may not be lowered voluntarily if a creature wants to be affected- the caster must always roll against it). Whether or not the effect succeeds, the ashes then follow the threads of energy back to their source, exploding outward along the lines of power much like Coals do- however, upon reaching the caster or manifester who originated the effect, the Sludge Soot settles around it and immediately hardens to the consistency of stone. Creatures targeted by Sludge Soot may make a Reflex save (DC 15 + the spell or power level of the effect which triggered the Sludge) to avoid complete entombment in a crust of hardened ash; if the save succeeds, the creature is merely Slowed by what crust has built up until it takes 1d4+2 full-round actions to remove the stuff. If the save fails, the creature is completely encased in solid ash, paralyzed by it, and immediately begins to suffocate (as described in the DMG) if it needs to breathe. The crust can be broken by a standard action STR check (DC 30), in which case the creature becomes Slowed as above; otherwise, it is stuck until something else attacks the crust and destroys it. Such a crust can be destroyed by attacking it as an object; the crust is effectively a stone wall with a thickness of one inch- that is, Hardness 8 and 15 hit points.
      Sludge Soot may be recognized before triggering by a DC 30 Knowledge (the Planes) check, and counts as a CR 7 hazard if triggered and overcome.
    
• Cavitius: Apparently constructed by a powerful and devoted follower of Cenob, or perhaps some other Death god, this strange fortress is built of some of the most solid and heavy cinders in the entire plane. The shape of the enormous edifice suggests nothing so much as a human skull, albeit one large enough to dwarf many Material Plane cities. It stands abandoned by its original creator(s) now, but the place is known to be inhabited by veritable armies of undead- who occasionally leave the fortress to patrol the surrounding landscape on unguessable errands. Rumors of some sort of ultra-powerful entity (or entities) living (or perhaps unliving) there, and controlling the undead who are seen there, sometimes make the rounds among planar scholars and travelers aware of the place at all, but nobody has ever uncovered solid proof of what- if anything- actually does inhabit the place. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning Cavitius carry DCs of 35 or more, though rumors of the mysterious "inhabitant" are actually easier to come across than solid information about the place itself- those carry typical DCs of 25-30.
    
• The Citadel of Former Flame: One particular leader among the Ash Quasielementals seems poised to become the first Primal Quasielemental, and has gathered a host of lesser Quasielementals about itself in preparation to assume the mantle of domination over the whole plane. This being's name is not recorded in any known planar treatise, but it is referred to by the title "The Shifting Emperor" by the Ash Quasielementals it may soon rule. Whatever its name, the Shifting Emperor has created a structure of magically fused ashes deep in the heart of the plane, which constantly (albeit slowly) alters its form- raising a new tower, moving a wall, or the like, in a slow and unpredictable manner not unlike the shifting landscape of the Elemental Plane of Fire. The Shifting Emperor is known to command not only armies of Ash Quasielementals, but also some legions of undead, perhaps borrowed from whatever entity inhabits Cavitius (see above). The Emperor has no stated goals besides acquiring dominion over the Plane of Ash, but some of the rulers in the Plane of Fire have begun to take notice of its progress- the name of the Citadel, and its mimicry of the shifting nature of their own plane, is something they definitely don't like. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning the Citadel of Former Flame are typically DC 25 or higher; checks concerning the Shifting Emperor itself are higher- no less than DC 40.

The Elemental Plane of Dust/Sand

Dust Traits

    The Elemental Plane of Dust/Sand has the following traits.

    
• Normal Gravity: Despite being next to the extremely heavy Plane of Earth, Dust does not have enough matter in it to create more than normal gravity.
    
• Normal Time.
    
• Infinite Size: Despite being constrained by the other planes in the Inner Sphere that it touches on (see below), the Plane of Dust is infinite in size, due to the Sphere itself having infinite depth.
    
• Alterable Morphic.
    
• No Elemental or Energy Traits: Even though it is itself an Elemental Plane, the Plane of Dust does not have an environment matching any defined energy dominance trait. This does not mean it is at all hospitable to planar travelers, however; see the "Features" section below.
    
• Enhanced Magic: Spells or spell-like abilities which cause matter to discorporate or disintegrate (such as Disintegrate) are Heightened twice, Enlarged, and Widened (as if the Heighten Spell (by two levels), Enlarge Spell, and Widen Spell feats had been used on them, but the spells don't require higher-level slots).
    
• Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities with the Earth descriptor, or that use, manipulate, or create earth or stone, are impeded. They may still be cast, but require a Spellcraft or Psicraft check (as appropriate- DC 15 + spell or power level) to successfully cast.
    
• Knowledge (the Planes) DC: 30. With so little of interest to outsiders, and so little to recommend a visit, the Plane of Dust is usually regarded as little more than a curiosity by the few scholars who know of it at all.

Dust Links

    The Elemental Plane of Dust/Sand is part of the Inner Sphere in the Taeran cosmology, the arrangement of the Inner Planes which suggests a sphere of infinite size based on various concentrations of the basic Elements and the two primary Energies (Positive and Negative). It is linked to other planes in (and out of) the Sphere as follows:

    
• Coexistent with the Astral and Ethereal Planes.
    
• Coterminous with several Elemental Planes. Arranged around it in a clockwise manner, the Plane of Dust is coterminous with Earth, Mud/Sludge/Ooze, Powder/Evaporation, Salt/Dessicant, Negative, Ash, Explosives, and Magma.

Dust Inhabitants

    Like other Elemental planes (or at least, the full-size planes), Dust has its own native elemental spirits, the ever-drifting Dust Quasielementals, which actually resemble Smoke Paraelementals more than anything related to Earth. There are no Primal Quasielementals as yet, or at any rate any such Quasielementals that do exist hide themselves extremely well; also, the Dust Quasielementals rarely congregate in more than small packs, so there are likely no leaders among them who are trying to achieve such lofty heights of power. In addition to the Quasielementals, most creatures that can be found in the Negative Energy Plane can be found in Dust, though few actually come from the also-neighboring Elemental Plane of Earth because of Dust's tendency to erode everything material that enters it (see below). Natives of Earth that are found in Dust are typically exiles sent there permanently for utterly heinous crimes.
    Besides natives of the neighboring planes of the Inner Sphere, Dust is home to many other creatures whose forms are made of sand or dust, such as Dust Mephits, Sandlings, and so on. Many creatures normally found in deserts on other planes can be found in Dust, though those with solid or liquid forms tend not to stay long if they can escape. A few small insects, rodents, and other burrowing creatures can be found here as well, though once again, none live long unless they are somehow immune to the effects of the plane (see "Features" below).
    Planar travelers do not normally settle in the Elemental Plane of Dust/Sand, or at any rate not willingly, but one group of mortals calling themselves the "Doomguard," united by a love of destruction and dissolution, maintain a large citadel on the Plane of Dust. This place, called Alluvius, is described in the "Features" section below.

Movement and Combat

    Of all the Elemental Planes, the Plane of Dust can likely lay claim to most closely resembling something one would find on the Material Plane. In fact, it resembles nothing so much as an endless, waterless desert, with shifting dunes and blowing sand everywhere the eye can see. Although there is no apparent source for it, the sky itself actually provides light about equal to that of a Material Plane sunset, though the light is known to dim and go completely dark when an Energy Tide is near (see below). As a result, movement and combat in Dust are handled nearly the same as they would be in a perfectly normal desert, and even without the usual danger of heatstroke (the Plane of Dust actually maintains a fairly comfortable temperature throughout its expanse). That said, the plane itself often provides a much bigger danger than any combat could; see "Features" below for more on this topic.

Features of the Elemental Plane of Dust/Sand

    The apparent hospitability of the Plane of Dust is one of the greatest lies in the Multiverse, for the plane exists to fulfill one destiny: dissolution of anything and everything solid. All solid matter in the plane is constantly scoured and eroded by the dust grains that fly through its atmosphere, and what's worse, some Negative energy from the adjoining Energy Plane actually erodes and disintegrates things even when the dust is somehow kept away.
    Every hour a creature or object is on the Elemental Plane of Dust/Sand, it takes 1d6 points of damage that cannot be negated by any known form of Damage Reduction, though there exist a few tiny native creatures which seem to be immune to this eternal corrosion. Exactly how they have it, whether it could be granted to a nonnative via magic or psionics, and whether their resistance exists only because the plane itself has yet to corrode and destroy everything else in the Multiverse are questions that have been debated among sages for centuries, without any clear answers. In any case, any creature brought to 0 hit points by this erosion is immediately and automatically killed, and the remains become so much dust blowing away in the winds of the plane- exactly as if the creature were hit by Disintegrate. Because the dust from such a creature essentially merges with the Dust of the plane itself, only a True Resurrection, Wish, or Miracle can bring it back to life.
    Though especially hard objects may resist the damage at first, they gradually lose their Hardness the longer they stay on the plane. Objects on the Plane of Dust lose 1 point of Hardness every minute they remain on the plane, until their Hardness reaches 0 and they are completely vulnerable to the disintegration. This Hardness reduction cannot be repaired by any means while on the Plane of Dust, though a Make Whole spell can restore Hardness once the object is no longer subject to the rigors of Dust. Major Artifacts, of course, are typically immune to this loss, though an artifact which has the Plane of Dust specifically made part of its weakness would not be so immune.
    Finally, none of the damage dealt by this horrid erosion can be healed or repaired in any known way while the object or creature remains on the plane, unless that object or creature was under the effect of a Negative Energy Protection spell when damaged, or is first subjected to Remove Curse before the healing/repair attempt is made.
    The eternally blowing wind on the Plane of Dust causes haunting sounds to echo throughout the plane, and sometimes dunes are known to emit ringing tones even in the rare absence of wind. Though these sounds are not dangerous (in fact, some people and creatures consider them beautiful, especially those native to desert terrain in their home planes), they do afflict a -2 penalty on all Listen checks made in the plane.
    No known gods make their abodes in the Elemental Plane of Dust/Sand, but there are a few significant locations and planar events there nevertheless:

    
• Energy Tides: All of the Quasielemental planes share this annoying planar feature, because the intense, uncontrolled energy in the neighboring Energy Plane (in the case of Dust, the Negative one) washes into and out of the Quasielemental planes like ocean tides on shores. Every eight hours a traveler is on the plane, there is a 5% chance that it will be caught up in one of these Energy Tides. When an energy tide happens, the Quasielemental plane suddenly takes on the same energy trait as its neighboring Energy Plane (in the case of Dust, this means major Negative-Dominant). The material of the plane is swept away by the encroaching energy, and creatures and objects in the area are exposed to the full effects of the new planar trait. The tide lasts 1d3 × 10 minutes, and then recedes, leaving either a void in the planar material or newly-grown planar material (50% chance of either) in its wake. Creatures and objects that survived exposure to the tide must make Will saves (DC 20) when it recedes, or be swept away by the tide directly into the actual Energy Plane itself (and likely destruction there). Most planar scholars who are aware of the Quasielemental planes in general (i.e., as a whole rather than one or two individual planes such as Dust) are aware of this planar feature, so Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning it have a DC of 25. The knowledge is not common, but it is not especially rare either.
    
• Sandwebs: Occasionally, streams and filaments of Negative energy from the neighboring Negative Energy Plane collide with deadly Dust grains, and mix with them instead of annihilating them. When this happens, the strands of strung-out Dust tend to attract more Negative energy strands, and more Dust grains, to the area, and the whole ends up forming a gossamer structure that resembles nothing so much as a spiderweb spun from sand. These webs may look innocuous, but that is simply another lie told by the Plane of Dust; in fact, they are deadlier traps than any web spun by an actual spider (or at any rate, any spider known to mortal sages).
      First, Sandwebs are exceptionally sturdy and resistent to damage- despite being flexible, the strands have AC 30 (touch 10), a Hardness rating of 30, and furthermore have DR 15/Epic. No energy type can damage them except Disruption; thus, no normal spell except Disintegrate has any chance to damage a web. Sandwebs typically cover 5+1d10 5-foot squares, and each square of web has 30 hit points. Finally, Sandwebs are difficult to Spot against the background clouds and landscape of the Plane of Dust, because they are made of the same sort of Dust as everything else; a Spot check to detect the Sandweb within 20 feet of its outer edge has a DC of 40. This DC is further adjusted by the usual modifiers for distance, ambient light and light sources available to the spotter, and so on.
      Creatures which do not Spot the Sandweb in time to avoid it are usually doomed. The Sandweb is not only suffused with concentrated eroding force of the Plane of Dust itself, but also with the Negative energy which allows it to stick together in the first place. A creature which comes into contact with a Sandweb receives one Reflex saving throw (DC 35) to pull free; otherwise, it is caught in the Sandweb and begins to corrode under the forces assaulting it. Each round a creature is in a Sandweb, it takes 3d6 damage from extreme concentration of the eroding energies of Dust. Furthermore, unless the creature has some form of protection against Negative energy active such as Negative Energy Protection (and it should be noted that undead and other unliving creatures, in this special case, are not automatically immune), it takes a permanent drain of 1 point from a random ability score.
      Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning Sandwebs have a typical DC of 40 or more- most creatures which encounter one do not live to warn others about their find. Each 5-foot square patch of Sandweb counts as a CR 15 hazard, if encountered and overcome.
    
• Dust Devils: The swirling, eternal winds of the Plane of Dust usually carry plenty of the ubiquitous Dust with them; sometimes, this wind forms a swirling vortex similar to a mild, tiny tornado. This vortex is called a Dust Devil, and it concentrates the eroding forces of the plane to an incredible degree during its brief life.
      A Dust Devil is fairly easy to Spot before it hits; typical Dust Devils are 20 feet high and 5 feet wide, and can be detected with Spot checks of DC 10 from a distance of 60 feet or less. A Dust Devil lasts 1d4×10 minutes after it forms, and during this time moves 40 feet per round in a random direction each round. The vortex affects a 5-foot space, and simply moves over targets as part of its normal movement; upon entering a creature's space, the Dust Devil affects it as if by a Disintegrate effect (SR and PR do not apply, save DC is 16).
      A Dust Devil may be prematurely dissipated by attacks, as if it were an incorporeal, mindless creature. A Dust Devil has AC 15 (touch 15) and 5d10 hit points. Dust Devils are sometimes mistaken for Dust Quasielementals, because such Quasielementals are capable of forming similar vortex-storms of dust; a DC 35 Knowledge (the Planes) check allows an observer to tell the difference. Dust Devils count as a CR 6 hazard if encountered and overcome (whether actually destroyed or simply survived/avoided).
    
• Citadel Alluvius: Deep within the heart of the Elemental Plane of Dust/Sand, a disk of pure stone from the Elemental Plane of Earth floats above the sands, slowly rotating in place. The disk is 2 miles across, and an ancient effect sheathes it in a potent shield similar to a Wall of Force in most respects. This shield, however, has the very important side effect of preventing the usual eroding effect of the plane from affecting anything inside it. Built upon the disk is a giant fortress-city populated by a faction of mortals called the Doomguard, whose beliefs are best summed up as delight in decay and entropy. Naturally, a plane like Elemental Dust represents such a belief set perfectly, and is a veritable paradise to the Doomguard- hence their continual hard work in maintaining the fortress and its floating base. Though their philosophy is less than welcome in most civilized circles, the Doomguard of Alluvius are actually rather welcoming to outsiders; any who come to the Citadel are welcome to stay and contemplate the eternal erosion of the Dust along with the inhabitants themselves. Knowledge (the Planes) checks concerning Citadel Alluvius have a typical DC of only 25-30, thanks to the presence of Doomguard members on other planes; most of them have at least heard of their paradise in the Dust, even if they have never actually been there.

The Elemental Plane of Lightning

Lightning Traits

    The Elemental Plane of Lightning has the following traits.

    
• Subjective Directional Gravity: Inhabitants of the plane determine their own "down" direction. Objects not under the motive force of others do not move.
    
• Normal Time.
    
• Infinite Size: Despite being constrained by the other planes in the Inner Sphere that it touches on (see below), the Plane of Lightning is infinite in size, due to the Sphere itself having infinite depth.
    
• Alterable Morphic.
    
• Air-Dominant.
    
• Electricity-Dominant: This planar trait means that the air itself, as well as every bit of nongaseous matter in the plane, is charged with electrical energy. Arcs constantly fly between the objects in the plane, sometimes even arcing into empty space with no grounding destination at all. Creatures and objects in an Electricity-Dominant plane take 3d10 points of Electricity damage each round. Creatures wearing an electrically conductive metal, such as iron or steel, take an additional 1d10 points of damage each round, as the metal tends to attract even more bolts than normal; creatures actually made of such a metal take an additional 3d10 points per round (doubling the normal amount from this planar trait). Creatures of the Earth subtype tend to be extremely uncomfortable on Electricity-Dominant planes, even if they are not actually made of (or wearing) metal.
    
• Enhanced Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities with the Electricity descriptor are both Maximized and Enlarged (as if the Maximize Spell and Enlarge Spell feats had been used on them, but the spells don't require higher-level slots).
    
• Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities with the Earth descriptor, or that use or create earth or stone, are impeded. They may still be cast, but require a Spellcraft or Psicraft check (as appropriate- DC 15 + spell or power level) to successfully cast.
    
• Knowledge (the Planes) DC: 20. As the primal source for one of the five most common types of energy attacks, the Plane of Lightning was the first of the Quasielemental Planes to be postulated by scholars (and discovered by explorers). Though most basic planar texts do not mention it (nor indeed any of the Quasielemental Planes), enough other texts do that most planar scholars with a good understanding of the Multiverse have at least heard of it.

Lightning Links

    The Elemental Plane of Lightning is part of the Inner Sphere in the Taeran cosmology, the arrangement of the Inner Planes which suggests a sphere of infinite size based on various concentrations of the basic Elements and the two primary Energies (Positive and Negative). It is linked to other planes in (and out of) the Sphere as follows:

    
• Coexistent with the Astral and Ethereal Planes.
    
• Coterminous with several Elemental Planes. Arranged around it in a clockwise manner, the Plane of Lightning is coterminous with Air, Cold/Ice, Superconductivity, Steam/Mist, Positive, Radiance, Plasma, and Smoke.

Lightning Inhabitants

Movement and Combat

Features of the Elemental Plane of Lightning

The Elemental Plane of Magma

Magma Traits

    The Elemental Plane of Magma has the following traits.

    
• Heavy Gravity: The penalties of the heavy gravity trait apply to all creatures, native and visitor, on the plane.
    
• Normal Time.
    
• Infinite Size: Despite being constrained by the other planes in the Inner Sphere that it touches on (see below), the Plane of Magma is infinite in size, due to the Sphere itself having infinite depth.
    
• Alterable Morphic.
    
• Earth-Dominant. The Plane of Magma is filled with partly-solidified lava, and rivers and seas of magma.
    
• Fire-Dominant. The heat in the Plane of Magma is just as intense as that in the Plane of Fire.
    
• Enhanced Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities with the Fire descriptor are both Empowered and Extended (as if the Empower Spell and Extend Spell feats had been used on them, but the spells don't require higher-level slots). Spells and spell-like abilities that use, manipulate, or create earth or stone (including those of the Earth Domain) are both Enlarged and Widened (as if the Enlarge Spell and Widen Spell feats had been used on them, but the spells don't require higher-level slots). Spells which are both Fire and Earth spells, such as Groundmelt, benefit from both enhancements simultaneously- a Groundmelt spell would thus deal 1.5 × normal damage, have double range, affect an area 1.5 times as large, and have double the normal duration.
    
• Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities with the Cold descriptor are impeded. They may still be cast, but require a Spellcraft or Psicraft check (as appropriate- DC 15 + spell or power level) to successfully cast.
    
• Knowledge (the Planes) DC: 25. The Plane of Magma is an interface between two of the less-hospitable Elemental Planes, and is itself extremely inhospitable, and therefore is not heavily traveled at all by nonnatives. Many scholars theorize that the plane exists, without knowing for certain, if they are aware of one or more of the other Paraelemental or Quasielemental planes. Also, the Paraelemental planes are usually considered the "most important" of the Elemental planes next to the primary six (including the Energy Planes), so knowledge about them is more common than knowledge about several Quasielemental planes.

Magma Links

    The Elemental Plane of Magma is part of the Inner Sphere in the Taeran cosmology, the arrangement of the Inner Planes which suggests a sphere of infinite size based on various concentrations of the basic Elements and the two primary Energies (Positive and Negative). It is linked to other planes in (and out of) the Sphere as follows:

    
• Coexistent with the Astral and Ethereal Planes.
    
• Coterminous with several Elemental Planes. Arranged around it in a clockwise manner, the Plane of Magma is coterminous with Fire, Radiance, Radioactivity, Minerals/Crystals, Earth, Dust/Sand, Explosives, and Ash.

Magma Inhabitants

Movement and Combat

Features of the Elemental Plane of Magma

The Elemental Plane of Minerals/Crystals

Mineral Traits

    The Elemental Plane of Minerals/Crystals has the following traits.

    
• Heavy Gravity: The penalties of the heavy gravity trait apply to all creatures, native and visitor, on the plane.
    
• Normal Time.
    
• Infinite Size: Despite being constrained by the other planes in the Inner Sphere that it touches on (see below), the Plane of Minerals is infinite in size, due to the Sphere itself having infinite depth.
    
• Alterable Morphic.
    
• Crystal-Dominant: This planar trait behaves much like the Earth-Dominant trait, but includes the following changes. The ubiquitous crystals of the plane are uniformly hard and sharp, and behave much like traps or caltrops in practice. Every round a non-native creature spends at its normal movement speed in the Plane of Minerals, 1d4 of the crystals attack it at +8 melee, dealing 1d6 slashing damage (2d6 on a critical hit). Crystals are considered +2 weapons for the purposes of penetrating Damage Reduction, and they attack all opponents as if flat-footed (i.e. no bonuses other than armor, natural armor, or deflection count towards increased Armor Class). Creatures which move at half normal speed draw no crystal attacks, because they are able to move around them; creatures which move above normal speed, by contrast, draw more attacks (e.g. triple speed in a round would draw 3d4 attacks).
    
• Enhanced Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities with the Earth descriptor, or which use, manipulate, or create earth or stone, are both Enlarged and Extended (as if the Enlarge Spell and Extend Spell feats had been used on them, but the spells don't require higher-level slots). Spells with the Sonic descriptor are both Empowered and Enlarged (as if the Empower Spell and Enlarge Spell feats had been used on them, but the spells don't require higher-level slots). Spells requiring crystals or gems as material components (such as Raise Dead or Stoneskin) may be cast on the Plane of Minerals without those material components, because the plane itself provides the power that the crystal normally would. Finally, magic or psionic items requiring gems, crystals, or precious metals as a primary component of their construction (such as a Helm of Brilliance) cost only half the usual amount in materials and XP if made in this plane, though crafting items here tends to attract unwanted native visitors just like mining does.
    
• Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities with the Air descriptor, or which use or create air, are impeded. They may still be cast, but require a Spellcraft or Psicraft check (as appropriate- DC 15 + spell or power level) to successfully cast.
    
• Knowledge (the Planes) DC: 15. The Plane of Minerals is famous throughout the Multiverse for the treasures it holds, but few outsiders bother to study the habits of the natives before coming here, which explains why so many travelers who come here never return home. Questions regarding anything other than the fact that the plane exists, and which planes it links to, are generally DC 20 or more.

Mineral Links

    The Elemental Plane of Minerals/Crystals is part of the Inner Sphere in the Taeran cosmology, the arrangement of the Inner Planes which suggests a sphere of infinite size based on various concentrations of the basic Elements and the two primary Energies (Positive and Negative). It is linked to other planes in (and out of) the Sphere as follows:

    
• Coexistent with the Astral and Ethereal Planes.
    
• Coterminous with several Elemental Planes. Arranged around it in a clockwise manner, the Plane of Minerals is coterminous with Earth, Magma, Radioactivity, Radiance, Positive, Steam/Mist, Vapors, and Mud/Sludge/Ooze.

Mineral Inhabitants

    Like other Elemental planes (or at least, the full-size planes), Mineral has its own native elemental spirits, the Mineral Quasielementals, which are similar to Earth Elementals in many respects. There are no Primal Quasielementals as yet, or at any rate any such Quasielementals that do exist hide themselves extremely well; however, there are leaders among the Mineral Quasielementals who may be trying to achieve such lofty heights of power. Additionally, most creatures that can be found in the Elemental Plane of Earth or the Positive Energy Plane can be found in Mineral, though the true natives tend to consider such creatures a nuisance and fight them when they can. Dao and Xorn are especially unwelcome, the latter because they actually eat the stuff of the plane, and the former because they extensively mine it.
    And unsurprisingly, mining is the reason Mineral is the most heavily-traveled Elemental Plane besides (perhaps) Air and Water. Creatures from literally every plane in the Multiverse, except perhaps for the Negative Energy Plane, can be found in Mineral somewhere. They come because of the plane's reputation as a treasure-trove rich beyond the wildest dreams of avarice, and many of them find their graves here when mining operations draw the ire of Mineral natives. The fact that the plane has gaps between the crystals, allowing life-giving air and water to penetrate it more easily, only adds more fuel to the dreams of colonization and wealth spread across other planes, which may be why Mineral Quasielementals are even more zealous in collapsing tunnels and passages than their Earth-plane cousins are.
    Besides the planar travelers and the native Elementals, Mineral is home to many crystalline creatures known elsewhere. Such creatures as Crystal Spiders, Crysmals, and Onyx Worms can be found in large numbers in the Elemental Plane of Minerals/Crystals, along with many ot