The universe is vast, defined by the four definitive powers: Law, Chaos, Good and Evil. At the centre of the known universe, is
Aetheus, the world where all life springs within the Material Plane.
The Universe is made up of energies that resonate from the very beginning of the universe when the cosmic birth occurred and the universe was born, replacing the one that existed without light or time, and fighting against
They Who Came Before. These energies are represented and manifest into separate realities known as:
- The Positive Plane - the Plane of Life, the Positive Material Plane.
- The Negative Plane - the Plane of Death, the Negative Material Plane.
Cosmologists believe that positive energy and its opposite negative energy, combined with the four elements, make up the known universe. This plane was a continuous explosion of energy not meant for mortals. Despite its nickname, the
Plane of Life could bring swift death to the unprotected by filling them with positive energy until their cells burst and they joined the conflagration. It is described as an infinite, empty, blinding firestorm of life-giving light, but object proof that too much of a good thing can kill you - quickly.
The
Plane of Death was extremely hostile to all forms of life and energy - only the undead could travel with impunity here, and the more powerful undead could harness this death energy to attack the living with devastating effect. The plane is described as being an airless, featureless void of darkness with gravity being an individual choice. Somewhat paradoxically, both allow that structures exist on a landscape of sorts, either made of physical solid darkness or perhaps elemental earth that could survive in the region of the planes (called
doldrums) that did not exhibit the major-negative dominance trait. The atmosphere was not a vacuum but could not be used by winged creatures for propulsion, nor could it sustain life, yet torches and lanterns would burn for a short while before being extinguished. Magical light sources worked as usual but visibility was extremely limited. These characteristics led cosmologists to speculate that it was the energy-sucking nature of the plane, that greedily devoured any life-giving energies rather than the complete lack thereof, but the difference is of interest only to sages. In practical terms, without protection from negative energy and elimination of the need to breathe, death was only a few minutes away at best.
The places between the Positive and Negative Planes were the
Astral Planes, the places that formulated through the differing and conflicting powers of Law, Chaos, Good and Evil. The Powers of Law and Chaos were diametrically opposed to one another, set between the Positive and Negative Planes - where as the Planes of Good resided closest to the Positive Energy Plane (Otherwise known as the Upper Planes), and the Planes of Chaos resided closest to the Negative Energy Plane (Otherwise known as the Lower Planes).
The Upper Planes
- Elysium (True Good)
- Bytopia
- The Beastlands
- Mount Celestia
- Arborea
- Arcadia
- Ysgard
The Plane of Law was represented and manifested into the realm known as
Mechanus (Lawful Neutral).
The Plane of Chaos was represented and manifested into the realm known as
Limbo (Chaotic Neutral).
The Lower Planes
- Hades (True Evil)
- Carceri
- Gehenna
- The Abyss (Home of the Demons)
- The Nine Hells (Home of the Devils)
- Pandemonium
- Acheron
These Realms operated outside of the Material Realm and were limited from access after the Great Divergence, and the Divine Gate sealed away access to the Mortal Realms. Thus, the known and accessible regions of the universe by mortals without magical aid were known as the Inner Planes.
Forming the exterior of the universe, was the
Elemental Chaos, where the elements dissolved into a single mix of colliding energies. Located at the far reaches of the elemental planes, it was a fundamental plane within which were contained all of the former elemental planes and energy planes. A tempestuous sea of ever-changing terrain and clashing elements, with stability only enforced in isolated locations, the Elemental Chaos was ruled over, at least in name if not fact, by the Primordials and was equal and opposite of its divine counterpart, the
Astral Sea, as the primordial were the opposites of the gods as demons were to devils.
Deeper within rests the
Four Elemental Planes of Air, Water, Earth and Fire. Each one commanding and solely consisting of a single element in all its power.
Existing adjacent to the Prime Material Plane, and connected to the Inner Planes - the
Ethereal Plane touched the Prime at all points that were located within crystal spheres through what is called the
Border Ethereal. It was unknown whether the Border Ethereal touched the Prime in the phlogiston. The non-border region was called the
Deep Ethereal.
Then there lie two reflections of the Material Plane, known as the
Feywild (the Plane of Fey) and the
Shadowfell (the Plane of Shadow).
