Astral Sea
The Astral Plane, also known as the astral plane, is the transitional plane that surrounds and connects the outer planes of Realmspace to each other and to the Prime Material Planes, as well as the ingress and egress point of the realmspace as a whole.
"It is the space between everything.
It is the road that goes everywhere.
It is where you are when you aren’t anywhere else."
Description
The astral plane is the space between the planes. When a character moves through an inter-planar portal or projects their spirit to a different plane of existence, then they travel through the astral plane. Even spells that allow instantaneous movement across a plane, such as dimension door, briefly touch the astral plane. It is a great, endless sphere of clear silvery sky, both above and below. Large tube-shaped clouds slowly coil into the distance, some appearing like thunderheads and others looking like immobile tornadoes of gray wind. Erratic whirlpools of color flicker in midair like spinning coins. There are occasional bits of solid matter here, but most of the astral plane is an endless, open domain. The astral plane is described as a barren place of other-dimensional nothingness extending in all directions. What little solid substance that floats in the bright, gray void is typically chunks of matter broken off from their original plane. The Astral has no gravity but objects do retain their mass so you can throw small items or push off from large objects to move in the weightless environment. Of the Transitive Planes, the Astral is the most alien to natives of the Prime Material Plane. A first-time traveler from the Prime Material Plane finds almost nothing familiar. Many individuals pass through the Astral Plane without realizing it when they cast certain spells or use inter-planar portals. They find themselves remaining on the Astral Plane only when something goes wrong, such as a badly cast dimension door spell or a bag of holding stuffed inside a portable hole. When something has to go somewhere else but has no other direction to go, it usually ends up on the Astral Plane.Traits
The Astral Plane has the following traits.- No Gravity: Those traveling through it move by thought (see below). Objects and creatures with no Intelligence score cannot move in the Astral Plane, though they may be pushed.
- Timeless: Age, hunger, thirst, poison, and natural healing don’t function in the Astral Plane, though they resume functioning when the traveler leaves the Astral Plane.
- Infinite Size: While impossible to prove given the nature of the plane, there is no evidence of a limit to the size of the plane, or recursion upon itself.
- Alterable Morphic Traits: The astral plane functions much like the material plane in the manipulability and changeability of its composition and contents.
- No Elemental or Energy Traits: Some small regions on the plane may have one or more of these traits, but the plane as a whole does not.
- Enhanced Magic: All spells and spell-like abilities used within the astral may be employed as if they were improved by Quicken Spell. Already quickened spells and spell-like abilities are unaffected, as are spells from magic items. Spells so quickened are still prepared and cast at their unmodified level. As with the Quicken Spell feat, only one quickened spell can be cast per round.
Movement and Combat
The Astral Plane’s lack of gravity makes it a tricky place to get around in. Most of the plane’s inhabitants move by merely thinking themselves in a particular direction. This is treated as flight with perfect maneuverability and a maximum speed of 10 feet per point of Intelligence. When one is maneuvering through astral space in this way, “up” and “down” are determined solely by the traveler’s orientation (down is beyond your feet, and up is above your head). Unlike normal flying, climbs and dives on the Astral Plane don’t change a character’s speed, and there’s no minimum speed to avoid a stall. An astral character may double move, but their maneuverability drops to average. An astral character may move at four times their speed (effectively running), but maneuverability drops to clumsy. Individuals with an Intelligence of 0 or without a listed Intelligence score (golems, for example) move very slowly in this fashion with a maximum speed of 10 feet, and they cannot double move or run. They can also throw or push off objects to impart momentum upon themselves (as well as said objects). This momentum is proportional to the relative masses of the objects (if a small mass pushes off a large mass, the smaller mass moves faster than the larger one). Throwing or firing a small object (either a Standard Action or part of a Ranged Attack) imparts a movement speed of 5 to the throwing individual. Pushing off an object of similar mass (a Move Action) imparts a movement speed equal to twice the result of a Strength check (rounded up to the nearest 5 feet). Pushing off a much larger object (a Move Action) imparts a movement speed equal to 5 time the result of a Strength check. If an individual is somehow grounded by localized gravity and able to walk, they can move normally. Travelers on the Astral Plane suffer no movement penalty for armor or weight, but they can carry no more than a heavy load while moving, and armor check penalties and arcane spell failure chances still apply. Movement through the Astral Plane is silent. The Astral Plane has no gravity, so attackers may approach from all sides. Without gravity or anything else to affect it, thrown or fired weapons can effectively fly forever. The penalty for each range increment beyond the first is –1 instead of –2. There is no maximum range, except the limit of the attacker’s vision. The Astral Plane has the timeless trait with respect to such things as poison and disease, so a poisoned character on the Astral Plane would be unaffected until they move to another plane. A traveler in astral form would not be affected at all, because damage taken by the astral form isn’t transferred back to the original body on another plane. The Astral Plane is also timeless with regard to natural healing, thus only magical healing works. Water, acid, and other liquids pose a unique peril to travelers in the Astral Plane. In the weightless environment, surface tension becomes the primary force acting on liquids, causing them to pool into spheres naturally. When touched, a liquid will flow over an object or character and form a light film over them. Liquids that inflict damage on contact, such as holy water (when used against undead) and acid, inflict twice as much damage since they more effectively coat their targets. Most importantly, a victim exposed to enough liquid will find their heads similarly covered, leaving them unable to speak or breathe. Such characters are subject to Suffocation and cannot cast spells with verbal components unless able to do so underwater. Depending on the quantity of liquid coating them, such water can be removed by wicking it off (such as with towels), entering an area with gravity, or violent enough motion to propel the water off their body.Travel
Distances are deceptive on the Astral Plane, and maps are almost completely useless in the hazy expanse. The time it takes an individual or a group of individuals to reach a particular part of the Astral Plane depends on how familiar the travelers are with that area.“Very familiar” describes a place the traveler has been to very often and feels at home with. “Studied carefully” is a well-known place from regular visits, including most color pools the traveler has used before. “Seen casually” is a place known from occasional visits, including a color pool of a particular type but not a specific color pool (any color pool to Ysgard as opposed to a specific color pool to Ysgard, for example). “Viewed once” is for a place seen one time only, or a place that has been seen only by magic. “Description only” can be verbal or written, although a map to the location would be useless on a plane so devoid of landmarks.
| Familiarity | Travel Time |
|---|---|
| Very familiar | 2d6 hours |
| Studied carefully | 1d4×6 hours |
| Seen casually | 1d4×10 hours |
| Viewed once | 1d6×20 hours |
| Description only | 1d10×50 hours |
"Time. Or rather the absence of it. In the Astral Plane, everything is eternal."
Astral Features
- Color Pools: There are many permanent portals between various planes and the Astral Plane. Outsiders that otherwise lack plane-traveling abilities use these portals to get to the Astral Plane. A number of openings known as color pools connect the Astral Plane to other planes. Color pools are irregular disks of a particular color floating in the vastness of the Astral Plane. The color of the pool tells the astral traveler what plane is on the other end of the color pool.
- Astral Conduits: The most common feature of the astral plane are astral conduits, also called a vortices, or maelstroms. An astral conduit resembles a huge grey waterspout with ends disappearing into the distance, swirling and turning slowly in space. Astral conduits flex and weave as they move through the Astral plane, rather than remaining static fixtures.
- Psychic Winds: The single greatest danger of the Astral Plane (followed closely by an encounter with a hostile deity) is that of a psychic storm. These winds are not a wind like those in the material planes or the Elemental Plane of Air. It is first sensed as a rapid darkening of the silver-grey sky in one direction, and this darkness quickly engulfs everything in its path, turning the landscape jet black, shot with streaks of indigo. The storm itself has a movement speed of 320, and can only be escaped by those who can outrun it. Normal fires and light spells still function and provide light, but Darkvision ceases to function within a psychic storm. As the sky darkens, those in its path feel buffeting and shaking, as if the plane itself is rebelling against the storm. As quickly as it comes, a psychic storm passes, with the sky returning to normal within a minute. Those caught within the grip of a psychic wind might be blown off course and suffer mentally from the psychic turbulence of the storm. Though they are violent, psychic storms have consistent winds, so several travelers caught in the same psychic storm are blown to the same destination. Such winds have physical and mental effects on those caught within them, and can be lethal to those traveling in astral form.
- Astral Objects: Bits of solid matter are strewn through the Astral Plane. Most of these objects have been sucked through color pools or left behind by careless (or deceased) adventurers. It’s easy for travelers to spot such items (subject to the usual maximum vision range) and maneuver toward them. Natives of the Astral Plane, in particular the githyanki, often sail the astral winds looking for bits of debris to add to their own fortresses and hoards.
Cosmography
According to the Great Wheel cosmology model, the astral plane connected the Prime Material Planes to the first layers of the Outer planes. The Astral could be reached from almost any point in a Prime Material Plane or first layer of any Outer plane by spell, psionic ability, or device. Entering the astral plane can be accomplished in one of two ways: projecting your astral form into the plane via the astral projection spell, or by physically entering the plane. Astral projection is the safest way to travel but still involves risk as you leave your physical body behind on the traveler's plane of origin. The astral body is accompanied by the astral forms of any items and clothing that are magical or radiate a magic aura. While projecting, your astral self is connected to your physical body by a silver cord that stretches out behind you for about 10 feet (3 meters), or 1 foot (30 centimeters) depending on the version of the spell, and then becomes invisible and intangible. Very few things can sever this silver cord: a powerful psychic wind, a githyanki silver sword, or the will of gods. The physical body left behind appears alive but does not require food, water, or air and does not age. It can be moved and is vulnerable to damage and death. If the traveler's physical body is slain, death follows the projection some minutes later. If the astral self is slain, the traveler then returns to their physical body in a coma. Physically entering the astral plane requires a spell such as plane shift and brings travelers wholly into the Astral with no silver cord to anchor them to their plane of origin. Upon entering the astral plane, travelers see a silvery color pool nearby—a portal to the location on the Prime Material Plane from which they originate. Astral projecting travelers see their silver cord leading back to this pool. Color pools appear as two-dimensional circles about 10–60 ft (3–18 m) in diameter and only visible from one side unless they have some way to detect invisible objects. Pools of different colors are portals to the different Outer planes. Each Outer plane has its own unique color, but the traveler's home portal is always a metallic silver, rippling like mercury in a pan. Color pools can be used to view the destination plane before stepping through by mentally concentrating on the nearby pool until it becomes transparent. A viewer can also move (with some limitations) the portal's viewpoint by concentration. Astral projecting travelers form a new physical body (with silver cord attached) when they step through a color pool to their destination plane. The new body is formed out of local materials so the greater the similarity between one's home plane and the destination, the more one's new body looks like the original one.Inhabitants
On this plane of thought, the existence of true natives was doubtful. The githyanki, however, had been a dominating presence for long ages, ruled from their great city of Tu'narath but mostly spread about innumerable fortresses. astral planerchers, astral streakers, astral whales, the mighty astral dragons, and the tiny kodragons inhabit the Silver Void. The dreaded astral dreadnoughts are believed by some to be a manifestation of the astral plane itself, while others point to their indefinitely long tails as an indicator for an origin elsewhere. Brain collectors, dhours, and foo creatures can all be found here. All manner of fiends, celestials, slaadi and other planars used the Astral as shortcuts to their business elsewhere, but both astral devas and shedu patrolled the plane regularly to keep evil in check. Despite their connection to the Abyss, bebiliths were thought to be at home on the astral plane. Spectral hounds are usually found with githyanki communities as guard animals. Both planar travelers and refugees from other planes call the astral plane home. The most prominent denizens of the astral plane are the githyanki, an outcast race that preys on travelers throughout the plane. The Astral collects the flotsam and jetsam of great events that have shaken the foundations of the cosmology itself. The shattered, fused bodies of dead deities, forgotten by their worshipers and banished from the divine planes, can be found here. Some say they are not truly dead, only sleeping. The Astral Plane has few native forms. It does have a lot of travelers, and some natives of other planes have taken up permanent residence there. The most notable of the “almost natives” are the githyanki, a race that long ago fled their mind flayer masters and established their own tyranny almost as bloodthirsty as that of their illithid enslavers. The astral dreadnought may be a form of native life, but that creature’s origin is difficult to study. Travelers may be encountered either in physical form or in astral form. In the latter case, travelers appear as ghostly, silvery images of themselves. A silver cord trails behind each one for a few feet, then disappears into the astral haze. In general, an astral form is more dangerous than a physical one, because it takes a high level of magical proficiency to cast an astral projection spell (as opposed to just casting plane shift). Astral Form An astral form has the same general abilities as its native body, including the same Armor Class, hit points, and ability scores it has on the Prime Material Plane. But an astral form differs from its Prime Material Plane counterpart as well. Dying: An astral form cannot be slain normally. If an astral form is killed (reduced to –10 hit points or otherwise slain), the astral traveler’s soul returns to its original body, which remains unharmed. Traveling Elsewhere: If an astral form passes through a color pool or otherwise manifests on another plane, it forms a new body from the building blocks of the plane itself. That body is identical with its natural form, except it is immune to the natural hazards of that particular plane. An astral body that travels to the Elemental Plane of Fire is immune to damage from the fire-dominant trait, for example. If the astral form is slain, the soul returns to the unharmed original body and location. Items: Worn, held, and carried items possessed by the original form are not harmed if their astral forms are damaged or destroyed on the Astral Plane. When the traveler leaves the Astral Plane, those items fade into oblivion, even if the traveler intended to leave the items on the Astral Plane. If someone removes an item from an original form while its owner is traveling astrally, the astral copy of the item disappears as well. If the traveler’s astral form employs magic items with a limited number of uses (such as potions, scrolls, and wands), the uses are expended on the real items as well as on the astral copies. Objects picked up by an astral character can be brought back to his or her original body as long as the astral form returns to that form normally. If the astral form is slain, then astral objects picked up along the way remain where they are and don’t return with the soul. Healing: On the Astral Plane, natural healing does not occur. Magical healing functions normally on astral forms. Silver Cord An astral form may always return to its original body as a standard action. When an astrally projecting form passes through a color pool or other portal, the silver cord bonds with the portal, allowing the traveler to return to the original body even if the pool or portal has properties such as one-way transit that would otherwise prevent such movement. Severing the silver cord that connects the form to the main body kills an astral traveler’s normal body. The cord usually appears at the base of an individual’s skull and stretches back 5 feet before merging with the Astral Plane. Only a few circumstances, such as the psychic wind, an attack from an astral dreadnought, or a blow from a powerful githyanki sword, can sever this cord. Monsters, items, and circumstances cannot sever a silver cord unless this ability is specifically noted. An astral traveler is automatically aware if his or her silver cord is threatened—but not automatically warned if his or her original body is threatened, so many leave guardians or spells to protect the original body or alert the owner if something threatens it.Miscellaneous
The astral plane was the graveyard of the gods. If a deity, which could be considered among the greatest of concepts, died, its remnant were cast into this realm of thought. Here it remained as a floating "god-isle", a piece of solid matter within the endless empty void, with only a fraction of residual energy left. Sardior's Ruby Palace also rested in the astral plane between its travels through the planes. Known dead deities drifting in the astral plane (at least temporarily) were:- Amaunator
- Aoskar
- Bane
- Bhaal
- Enki
- Gilgeam
- Ibrandul
- Kalzareinad
- Karsus
- Kiputytto
- Leira
- Moander
- Myrkul
- Ulutiu
The Astral Sea
Transitional Plane
Infinite
None
Flowing (1,000 real years = 1 subjective day)
Alterable
None
None
Normal with special cases
Natives
Abominations
berbalang
githyanki
maruts
berbalang
githyanki
maruts
Transportation
Quartz, B
-
Swirling Gray