Archainus

The expansive and still-united plane of good which stands ever-vigilant against the forces of cosmic villainy

The Unity of Archainus

Though Archainus is made up of three individual realms(Heaven, Nirvana, and Elysium) and is in many ways defined by them, it has since time immemorial been overseen by an alliance between the three realms and their leadership, who meet regularly to steer the plane in matters of cosmic and inter-realm affairs - for better or worse, the governance of the realm of Archainus has often been spearheaded by the leadership of the realm of Heaven, owing mostly to the realm's orderly nature which more easily lends it to handling matters of cosmic politics. However, it is by no means an absolute state of rule and instead more akin to a slightly heightened authority compared to the leadership of Elysium and Nirvana. The leadership of these planes are described below:

The Archenvost Alliance

The mighty celestial alliance of Angel and Archon that rules over the entire plane of Heaven, the Alliance is a strange and powerful entity born from Heaven's unique status as a Plane of Existence that gave birth to two equally powerful and populous native celestials - the Angels and the Archons. This alliance of the plane's two native species typically acts as the "face" of Archainus and takes the lead in much of the cosmic affairs of Archainus as a whole since it is widely considered the most organized and powerful of the three organizations which rule the three realms of Archainus. The Alliance, with its well-thought out leadership structure and precise chain of command, is ruled by a singular being who holds the rank of 'Praetor', a title which allows its bearer to command Heaven's forces and rule over much of the plane of Heaven as a lawfully appointed ruler alongside a council of hand-picked advisors known as "Exemplars"(Often chosen from the ranks of their generals or advisors from various campaigns across the cosmos). Though the Alliance as a whole favors ordered campaigns against the forces of evil across the cosmos, its matters of exact policy vary depending on which of the plane's two native species sits in charge of it - when an Archon holds the seat of Praetor and their Archon brethren find themselves in charge of the Alliance the Plane of Heaven and by extension much of Archainus tends to drift more in line with the Archon's Cosmic Views on Law and Good - favoring loose allegience to Bahamut and other Major Gods as the true and just 'law' in the cosmos, and favoring zealous campaigns against the cosmic forces of evil rather than involvement in mortal affairs(Which, while important, the Archons view as less so compared to invading the planes of evil or fighting "Cosmic Villainy" such as devils and demons).
Inversely, when angels find themselves in charge of the Alliance, the politics and policies of Archainus tend to reflect the Angels' focus on goodness over law - favoring keeping Archainus more neutral in matters of Cosmic Politics as a self-determining realm independent from fealty to any Major God, preferring a more "nationalistic" approach that places Archainus as an independent power that focuses on Cosmic Wars against Evil and campaigns to aid beleagured mortals wherever their suffering can be found in acts of good both big, small, cosmic, and grounded(An approach that irks the Archons who see fighting 'Cosmic Evil' as a much more worthwhile endeavor). Most recently, a recent power in the Alliance shift saw Hallais, the former Praetor of the Archenvost Alliance and mighty Empyrean Angel, ousted from his seat after his right hand and legendary Solar Azaliah went missing alongside her entire Celestial Host - causing his powerbase to collapse and opening the door for the Archons to sieze the seat of Praetor and thus leadership of the Alliance as a whole. Led by the powerful Star Archon Sraosha and her rising council of mighty Exemplars, the Archons have begun to lead Archainus closer in alignment to the goals of Bahamut and the Major Gods and away from the more radical campaigns to aid and "unify" the fractured mortals of the material that Azaliah and Hallais had been championing.

The Bronze Lords

Not neccesarily the rulers of Elysium, but representatives chosen to represent the plane's interest in matter of cosmic politics - these lords and ladies are almost always Azatas, though exceptions do occur from time to time - and their exact number and members tend to change wildly and extremely often, as they are typically drawn from the ranks of the most influential courts and other various gatherious across Elysium. Nevertheless, they serve as the important "face" of Elysium to keep their plane abreast of matters on the cosmic scale, which they disseminate to the inhabitants of their home plane with all the passionate zeal of a town crier before going about their lives with their usual chaotic whimsy. They rarely take an active interest in organized cosmic politics, and prefer above all other things to protect their right to operate as they please - the Bronze Lords are notorious for only offering their aid in specific campaigns when the cosmos is in true and dire need, and especially dislike finding themselves "falling under the sway" of Bahamut and the Major Gods or any other ruler; instead preferring to act as they see fit to further the cause of good across the planescape in whatever ways they deem useful, either big or small. This staunch independence often irks the Archenvost Alliance and the Major Gods, who view them as too flighty and chaotic to accomplish real and potent change(Though they tend to get along with the Angels of the Archenvost Alliance somewhat better than the Archons), and view their passion for uplifting and teaching mortals to live without constant celestial interference as contrary to the entire mission of the Cosmic Forces of Good. In turn, the Azatas often view their more lawful Angel and Archon cousins as stuffy and overly meddling in the affairs of mortals, which they see as doing little more than dampening mortal independence and their ability to self-determinate - to the Azatas, it would be far preferable to teach the mortals to fight their battles themselves than directly intervene as an ordered army, and they make their opinions known loudly. Often, it is only the sagely diplomatic intervention of the Agathions and their High Sage that keep the peace between the Bronze Lords and the Archenvost Alliance.

The Dreaming Queen

A powerful Empyreal Lord by the name of Solfon who holds the epithet The Dreaming Queen, she has held the position of "High Sage" and served as Nirvana's emissary to matters of Cosmic Politics for as long as any planar beings can remember, and has long kept Nirvana aligned firmly to the side of goodness in its purest and truest form(Regardless of who or what is the best path to achieve this) - while the native Agathions of Nirvana do not venerate a single being as ruler of their home plane, instead preferring to venerate various mighty empyreal lords and other powerful outsiders on the plane whose teachings they venerate as those of wise sages and strive to embody themselves, Solfon the Dreaming Queen is the closest the Agathions come to such a creature as she is widely believed to have been one of the first mortal souls to have reached Nirvana. Much like the agathions themselves, she stands as a powerful force for goodness unconstrained by the dichotomy between Law and Chaos(Viewing them as unimportant), and often arbitrates conflicts between The Bronze Lords of Elysium and the Archenvost Alliance which governs the mighty plane of Heaven - she is viewed, much like the Agathions who are inspired by her wise teachings, as a fair and just arbiter of Cosmic matters who even the Stuffy Archons and Chaotic Azatas have long since accepted as a neutral and just third party.
Something akin to an "Oracle", she is widely considered to be the wisest creature on all of Nirvana and one of the eldest beings in the Planescape, whose memory stretches back to a time where even the Major Gods were newly formed. Her words and careful advice have kept the forces of good together and unified countless times in the face of infighting and cosmic politics - without Solfon, many celestials agree, the plane of Archainus would have split and sundered long ago. Under her teachings, the Agathions of Elysium have long taken a fairly neutral stance in Cosmic Politics and evaluate harshly which cosmic "faction" they align themselves to at any given moment - most important above politics, Solfon teaches, is to do good and save the souls of those who suffer without respite or recourse, regardless of which "side" that places them on(though they do not mind taking a side, even should it be an extreme or unusual side, should it align with their interests). For this reason and view of staunch advocacy for morality regardless of factions, Solfon and her Agathions have often earned the respect of the Aeons of Preceptus, who appreciate their single-minded approach to their ideals regardless of factions.

The Realms' Denizens

Though each realm of Archainus is home to a great number of creatures, animals, and plantlife, each realm is largely known to have a a species considered "native" to that realm - defined as a race of beings that came into existence from the primordial "essence" of that realm who represent the most fundamental principles the realm stands for. These denizens are integral to understanding the political balance of Archainus, and as such as listed below:

Heaven

Heaven, as a realm, is rather unique in all the Planescape as a whole in that it spawned not one, but two native species at the dawn of reality when it formed - the ever-numerous Archons and the less populous Angels, each of whom hold respect for the other but whom each claim to have been the "first" of the plane's denizens(And each of whom carry different notions of how best to carry out the ideals of their home). Both of them hold Law and Goodness as largely the same force, however - to the denizens of Heaven, Order is the Greatest Good and likewise Goodness is the Greatest Order. To many, especially mortals, the different between the two is pure sophistry few truly care about - but to the Archons and Angels themselves, such a statement is the most surefire way to offend them deep down to their spiritual essences.
The Archons, as a whole, believe in the 'Order is the Greatest Good' part of the realm of Heaven's mantra moreso than the second line, 'Goodness is the Greatest Order' - as being of perfect Lawful Goodness with a penchant towards the 'Lawful' aspect of that nature, Archons are staunch advocates for waging the eternal war against the forces of Cosmic Evil such as the Devils of Malefacta, the Demons of The Abyssal Wastes, The Daemons of Gehenna, and all those in between even to the detriment of the mortals of the Material Plane. While not heartless and obviously not cruel, Archons easily come off as cold and indifferent as officers of the military do to mortals - Archons as a rule care far more for the Cosmic Law of the Planescape than they do for the lives of individual mortals who may be put in danger on the Material Plane. Living embodiments of the "Greater Good", Archons are tireless crusaders first and foremost and see their crusades against the forces of Cosmic Evil as the greatest way to accomplish good and save Mortals than the ways of their Angel Brethren. Despite this, they are not above compassion and tolerance towards those of good intent and even those less righteous who obey the law, but will always place greater emphasis on waging cosmic wars against villainy than intervening on behalf of mortals unless the circumstances are truly dire indeed.
The Angels, inversely to their Archon brethren, are less common and fewer in number - believing in the 'Goodness is the Greatest Order' part of the realm of Heaven's mantra moreso than its first line, Angels are beings of perfect Lawful Goodness who embody the Goodness of Heaven much moreso than its law. Carrying a more flexible attitude towards law and order than the Archons at their side, Angels do not deny the importance of the Cosmic Wars against Villainy but are eternal advocates for mortals in the grand designs of the cosmos as well as eternal advocates for the realm of Heaven and indeed Archainus as a whole's independence from external rule(Especially that of Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon and other Major Gods), preferring to keep Heaven and by extension the rest of Archainus as an independent force for good in the Cosmos rather than subordinates or allies to the Major Gods. Compassionate free-thinkers at their core who will always be the first to bend a rule or law to see good accomplished(But never break it), Angels often operate independently compared to their Archon brethren and tirelessly advocate for the lives of those caught up and lost within the Cosmic Wars between good and evil - whether that be intervening on their behalf of stopping smaller factions of evil from ruining the lives of mortals in places that the great crusades of Heaven and Archainus do not often reach. They also serve the vital role of counterbalancing the authoritarian nature of the Archons, ensuring that Heaven's society continually grows and adapts to become the best possible version of itself.

Nirvana

A plane whose very misty nature rewards exploration and a desire to seek knowledge and enlightenment, Nirvana's mysterious nature is reflected in its native species, the Agathions - this race of animalistic outsiders appear as anthropomorphized natural beasts who, unlike angels (who often travel the planes as messengers), archons (who are often called upon to wage war against fiends far afield from Heaven), or azatas (who revel in the bliss of exploration), agathions rarely leave their home plane save for when they are conjured elsewhere. However, this planar introversion is often quick to disappear entirely if they believe that doing so will allow them to aid a mortal soul or save a mortal who suffers without respite or recourse or who they view as imprisoned by evil - most of the time, though, Agathions are naturally inclined to meditation and seeking enlightenment as well as thinking on how best to help others walk the same paths(Or that of redemption, should they desire or need it). This wisdom and mystery as well as their natural penchant for patience and introspection, tempered by their ability to rapidly transition to animalistic ferocity, speed, and strength when they find it neccesary to protect themselves or others from the forces of evil makes them naturally excellent mediators, especially in disputes among their fellow celestials(Who all accept Agathion arbitration as a fair and reasonable means to avoid conflict). Seeing imprisonment of any kind as the greatest evil, Agathions are always among the first to offer others a chance to seek redemption, though their ways and methods often come off to even other Celestials as roundabout and mysterious as they prefer to lay their plans and guidance in such a way that those they seek to help with often come to believe that they achieved their "realization" or "help" entirely of their own volition and with no other.

Elysium

None embody the chaotic and unpredictable nature of Elysium more than its native species, the Azata - passionate and competitive, Azata seek honor gained through great accomplishments such as heroic deeds and impressive works of creativity. Fiercely and staunchy independent, Azatas despise singular rulers either internal or external and instead great place stock in community among their own kind and among the denizens of Elysium as a whole, preferring communal rule, self-sufficiency, and independence to fealty to any other being. While they do occasionally enjoy pledging themselves to communal organizations known as Courts who each represent some passion or artistic pursuit, Azatas are by their nature hard to entice into action by any other outside force or leadership - even and especially that of Heaven or Nirvana, and even harder to coerce into unified action; Azatas have in all the history of the Planescape marched as a singular army less than 5 times. Instead, they prefer to see good accomplished at their own whims, and in ways that sees them prefer to teach mortals who find themselves in danger rather than interfere on their own behalf, as the Azatas know all too well that over-involvement in another's affairs can often stifle free-will and independence, creating dependency and reliance. As such, Azatas make natural mentors and sages who prefer to operate independently, quietly and secretly guiding mortals in times of crisis or inspiring noteworthy artists rather than intervening in their lives needlessly - however, one should never mistake an Azata for a pacifist who prefers to guide to fight; when their powers are needed to stand in defense of those who cannot defend themselves their might is second to none in all the realms of Archainus once they are suitably motivated to action.

Geography

As one of the first Planes of Existence to be formed at the dawn of time when Molt, The Shadow used his mighty scythe to divide the Cosmos, Archainus stands as the last of the four "Axis Planes" to retain its full and original strength and size as well as the last to avoid being tainted by the River Styx that flows from the Plane of Gehenna, realm of Charon the Obliviator. As its counterpart the Plane of Evil has long since shattered into Malefacta, The Abyssal Wastes, and The Gnawing Oblivion while its cousin Planes of Preceptus and Effluvion - the Planes of Law and Chaos respectively - are of an entirely different makeup and are thus constructed entirely differently(And at little risk of fracturing), Archainus's continued unity is a testament to the power of its inhabitants and the wisdom of its leaders.
As the last remaining "Superplane" in existence in all of the cosmos, Archainus is broadly divided into three separate realms that are each as immeasurable and expansive as The Material Plane in and of themselves, albeit in slightly different ways than most mortals would be familiar with. Each of these planes(Which broadly go by the names Heaven, Nirvana, and Elysium) remain not only coterminous with one another, but are wholly and inexorably linked to one another in ways no other Planes of Existence are, its realms stitched together and meeting in expansive borderlands where the ideals of the Superplane's various realms meet and clash referred to by the Superplane's denizens as The Firmaments - and the geographies of each are as distinct and unique as one might expect(And are thus described below). However, on the whole the geographies of Archainus and its three realms are broadly unified and codified beneath a singular banner - meaning that the geography can be distinct between the three realms the same way that different parts of a Material Plane Planetoid can differ from one another, each realm's geography is part of a contiguous whole and thus not so distinct as to be disruptive(As would be the case between Malefacta and The Abyssal Wastes, for example). The specific mechanics of why this is are hotly debated amongst Planar Scholars, but are likely a supernatural reflection of the bonds of unity that unite the three realms of Archainus itself - when such bonds grow strained that is often reflected in the plane's geographical features as the terrain begins to morph and change to reflect this disunity.

Heaven

The Plane of Lawful Goodness, Heaven is often depicted as a singularly immense mountain whose summit is shrouded in clouds and veiled from sight, around which a fortress-city of such immeasurable size and scope is built that it defies mortal comprehension which has stood since the dawn of Goodness and Law itself in the Cosmos - despite the Realm's immeasurable size as to rival even the galaxies of the Material Plane, this singular mountain(Often Referred to as 'The Holy Mountain of Heaven', 'The Holy Mountain', or 'Mount Archenvost') is broadly divided into eight layers, each with its bureaucracy and ruling steward who reports to the bureaucratic leader of the plane who holds the seat of Praetor. Despite this characterization of a singular massive mountain, its very nature defies mortal understanding - though the mountain's vast slopes seem to gradually roll downwards from the summit, each 'layer' and indeed each 'location' of this immeasurable Plane of Existence often appear differently depending on who is viewing it, as each represents a philosophical nature or affinity as much as they do an actual location; due to this, onlookers may see the layers of Mount Archenvost as simple sloped cliffs, sprawling grasslands of their own with no beginning or end, or even massive cities on level ground on the border of a beautiful divine lake or a sprawling and lush forest. These layers, while all technically part of the same Plane-spanning "city", do not represent higher or lower levels of authority within Heaven's bureaucracy and instead simply represent different strata of its government respected by even the Gods given leave to reside there. Each layer of the Mountain, ruled by a Celestial Native of the Plane that holds the rank of steward, represents or serves a different philosophical and practical function of the plane, described below:

• The Heathen Shore: A land broadly surrounding the lowest level of Mount Archenvost, the Heathen Shore occupies the borderlands of the realm of Heaven where visitors to the realm's shores that are either of inadequate moral standing to enter its higher realms or are simply on business that does not require entry to such places go to trade, talk, and visit with the realm's denizens. Though it holds the official title of "Heaven's Shore", the realm's residents have taken to referring to it as The Heathen Shore much to the chagrin of the realm's masters. It is, by and large, a mixture of sprawling trade cities, rolling grassy hills, as well as lakes and forests.
• The Threshold: The second and lowest true level of Mount Archenvost, representing and standing for the ideals of Hospitality and Defense. Ever the first line of defense against invasion, it is battle-hardened a million times over and is widely considered the most war-wracked layer of the realm. However, many a great Celestial General or Warrior has risen from the ranks of its defenders or leaders.
• Proelara: The third level of Mount Archenvost, representing and standing for the ideals of Valor and Courage and home to the Eight Heavenly Gates which bar entry into the higher realms of the realm. It is the mustering grounds for the immense armies of the realm, and is where the legendary armies of the Celestial Hosts are trained to fight wars against the forces of Cosmic Evil.
• Clarion: The fourth level of Mount Archenvost, representing and standing for the ideals of Duty, Learning, and Self-Purification.
• Requius: The fifth layer of Mount Archenvost, representing and standing for the ideals of Benevolence, Humility, and Generosity - here, on this most expansive of layers, many projects and purposes have come and gone over the years ranging from housing for refugees displaced via Cosmic Wars to on several occasions a kind afterlife where virtuous souls who did not hold any faith or philosophy in their hearts in life(Largely referred to as Atheists) and even the conscientious objectors to the realm's Cosmic Wars could come to know peace and comfort.
• Illumis: The sixth layer of Mount Archenvost, representing and standing for the ideals of Knowledge, Philosophy, Learning, and Debate. Here, the scholars and sophists of the realm constantly debate and evolve what the concept of good is, test it, refine it, and explore it in every way imaginable.
• Iudica: The seventh level of Mount Archenvost, representing and standing for the ideals of Law, Governance, Administration, and Oversight. Here, the Council of Vision oversees and governs every layer and denizen of the realm.
• The Summit: The eighth level of Mount Archenvost, the Summit has always stood as something of a mystery even to its own denizens - a shining golden walls with a singular mighty gate provides access to a beautiful realm known only as The Garden. This realm, where the Praetor of Heaven and their council of Exemplars come to meet with the other leaders of Archainus' other realms to discuss cosmic politics, stands in the shadow of a mighty other whose form is hotly debated - ranging from a massive fruit tree to an expansive palace. The whys and hows of what stands at the summit of Mount Archenvost are secrets known only to the Praetors of Heaven, and no one else.

Nirvana

The Plane of Pure Goodness unbothered by the dogmas of Law or Chaos, Nirvana is a comfortable middle ground between the ordered cities and mind-boggling expanses of Heaven(Each with their own geographic and geospatial laws) and the extremes of Elysium - existing as an unbiased paradise of beautifully rolling hills, stunningly gorgeous mountains and refreshingly deep forests, Nirvana matches every visitor's expectations of a flawless pastoral paradise. However, it is also a realm of inscrutable mystery that does not relinquish its geographical features to those who merely gaze upon them - a unique realm whose geography rewards exploration and a path traveled towards enlightenment, Nirvana's rolling fields, lush forests, tall mountains, and hidden valleys are shrouded beneath a permanent celestial fog that provides not only sanctuary and respite to all who seek redemption, illumination, or enlightentment by carving out unique pockets of "realspace" where each traveler may have a little realm of their own, but allows for any traveling the realm's landscapes to "jump" between prominent locales with simple thought. This strange phenomena, which allows its denizens to travel by reading their heart's true intentions and desires and thus "jumping" them around the realm's to a location that they truly wish to visit, creates a uniquely mysterious realm whose most prominent locations must be found by new denizens and sought out on journeys to be reached. Many a creature has found redemption and enlightement within the misty celestial fogs of Nirvana - guided by their own hearts on paths even they had no idea they sought to travel, finding secrets within the realm's immeasurably vast geography that even the eldest of its denizens have forgotten long ago.

Elysium

The Plane of Chaotic Goodness, Elysium is a vast and ancient realm so large as to defy mortal understanding - it is a place of bold deeds and fiery passions, where heroes clash and revel, and freedom is prized above all. A realm of chaos at its core, Elysium changes with the coming and passing of each day as the amount of sunlight varies from day to day, the stars in the sky change shape and shift(leaving only a singular "North Star" as a constant to navigate by), and the landscapes shift in location and vibrancy according to the whims of its residents. While not as riotously chaotic as the realm of Iabora, home of the Fey, Elysium is a gorgeous and beautiful place that far outstrips the beauty of any landscape on the material plane - teeming with rich and vibrant life illuminated by a brilliant Golden Sun that shines brightly down upon the realm's emerald fields and azure seas, the realm truly comes to life at night as its sky becomes a sea of glittering stars surrounding a gorgeous Silver Moon as it trails across the sky. Much like the realm's native denizens, the realm of Elysium knows little restraint even in its geographical features - its mountains stretch taller and its oceans yawn deeper than on any world of the Material Plane and indeed on any other locale in the entire Superplane of Archainus, accounting for some of the greatest extremes in elevation in all the Great Beyond. However, despite what mortal sensibilities may expect these extremes do not preclude survivability - the tops of Elysium's tallest mountains have plenty of breathable air while its deepest oceans recieve ample sunlight in equal measure. Here, no ordered cities or realms exist in any shape - its denizens preferring to live on their own free of any external rule, gathering at times and places so unpredictably random that only a native of the plane could possibly hope to predict where the various 'Courts' and 'Gatherings' will crop up next. Travelers should beware, however - just because the realm may be gorgeous beyond measure does not mean it is not equally dangerous; Elysium is far from universally safe, as regions of true wilderness grow increasingly perilous the further one travels from the realm's heartlands.

Ecosystem

While the Ecosystems of Archainus's various realms can vary somewhat between them, they are largely unified by Archainus as a whole in such a way that overall the Ecosystems of Archainus and its three realms are nothing short of idyllic - standing in stark contrast to the realms of evil such as Malefacta where even the air is breathable poison capable of killing celestials. Here, instead, the realms stand in relatively perfect harmony with perfectly idyllic ecosystems that are more perfect reflections of those found in The Material Plane, with beautiful biodiversity untainted by rampant civilization and industrialization, weather that blows and comforts at all hours of every day, and plant and animal life that flourishes beneath the perfectly balanced ecosystems of the Plane's various realms.
So, while the powerful storms of the chaotic realm of Elysium may blow harsh and strong enough to reach into the realm of maelstroms and cataclysms, even the worst storms of Elysium carry the goodness of the realm within it - a harsh but fair ecosystem of unpredictability that is tempered by the opposing order of the ecosystems of the realm of Heaven, whose orderly day-night cycles and perfectly predictable weather patterns are almost legendary in their regularity, consistency, and potency. Regardless of the minor differences in ecosystems that reflect the Lawful Nature, Chaotic Nature, or lack thereof that the plane represents, the ecosystems regulate themselves automatically as they flow across The Firmaments that stitch the three realms of Archainus together at their borderlands to create the superplane of Archainus as a whole - storms normalize as they cross the border to more closely align with the newly entered plane's laws, animals flawlessly change their nature to fit the same, and the dynamics of each ecosystem flawlessly meet and coexist as they pass across these borderlands that hold the realms together.
However, this unity can at times destabilize in reflection of the relationship between Archainus's three realms - when the three realms' relationships are tense and strained, so too is the ecosystems that link them together as irregular storms mutate and metastisize as they cross The Firmaments that divide the realms, animals grow and change in unexpected ways and become more akin to invaders, and the laws of the varying realms clash in expected ways to reflect the denizen's disunity.

Ecosystem Cycles

The cycles of the various realm's of Archainus each run in subtly unique and distinct ways, described below:

Heaven

Ever the realm of order and good, Heaven's ecosystems run on flawlessly timed cycles that operate like utter clockwork - always happening on the same times, changing seasons at the precise moments, and each animal and plant within its ecosystem adapting at the same rate and changing precisely as much as need be between each season that comes across the plane. Little happens out of order in Heaven - including its Ecosystems.

Nirvana

A realm that mostly reflects the Material Plane in its relative order tempered with chaos, Nirvana's ecosystems change semi-regularly but are not nearly as ordered and precise as those of Heaven - slightly variations in the weather or the plane's compositional makeup often change the ways the ecosystem shifts month by month and year by year as animals adapt and change to the shifting patterns in ways mortals may be most used to.

Elysium

The most chaotic of the three, Elysium's ecosystem changes daily - though not to nearly as extreme a degree as that of Iabora, home of the fey. There are no set "seasons" to the ecosystems of Elysium, as each day teeters closer to one as it pleases - even the length of days here in Elysium is not set in stone and varies slightly, and the animals and denizens of the plane enjoy this chaos greatly; seeing it as just another enjoyable facet of life on the plane that they seldom take true notice of.

Localized Phenomena

While each realm of Elysium is known to have small localized unique phenomena, none are notable enough to merit notation here - save for one. At The Firmaments, the great celestial fault lines that mark the borderlands between the three realms of Archainus, countless unique phenomena occur constantly as the shifting allegiences and alliances of the three realms brings them closer and farther apart; a relationship which is reflected in physical form at the celestial fault lines known as The Firmaments which demarcate their borders. Here, the unity(or lack thereof) is on full display as the ideological essences of the varying realms clash and take physical shape as the the Laws of Heaven meet the Chaos of Elysium and the Dreamy Mystery of Nirvana and every combination thereof.
These phenomena can take on countless forms, ranging from especially powerful chaos-storms raging into the orderly realms of Heaven, winds of utmost law blowing into the chaotic realms of Elysium to bring order where it is not wanted, to even especially extreme examples such as Lawbound Blizzards which freeze all it crosses over down to its very core to bring total, motionless law to all chaos in its path. However, the most destructive and extreme examples are only known to occur when relations between the realms are especially strained.

Climate

Though the climate can vary mildly from realm to realm within Archainus, it is overall best described as idyllic in the extreme - extremes of climate such that they prove lethal are altogether irregular in most locales across the realms of Archainus in fever of temperate and even tropical temperatures, though specifics can vary between realms and even according to the whims of various residents within those realms. Extreme climate phenomena like blizzards and sandstorms are altogether rare, but not unheard of across Archainus but overall are the exception rather than the rule - generally, the realms are a great deal more idyllic and peaceful than anywhere else in all the Cosmos.

Fauna & Flora

While not boasting nearly as high of biodiversity as that of Iabora, home plane of the Fey, the flora and fauna that can be found in the realms of Archainus are almost all varieties that can be found on The Material Plane(And even some that have long since gone extinct), who live and love according to the specific oddities of the realms they inhabit.

Natural Resources

The natural resources of Archainus, as one may expect from the Superplane of Good, are vast and plentiful in every regard - animals of all kinds can be found here in great abundance, ores and minerals can be found easily within its hills and mountains, various crops grow in abundance in wild pastures, and enormous wellsprings of clear water run all throughout the realms lined by beautiful wildflowers and forests. Overall, most any resource can be found here - though not in nearly as infinite abundance as locations such as The Elemental Planes.

History

The history of the plane of Archainus begins at the dawn of all things, when the entire Cosmology of Ea was still new and fresh - during this most primordial of times, shortly after Atlas, The Ineffable had given his life to create reality as it is known today and the Major Gods sprang forth from his dying essence, did it come time to sunder the infant cosmos, so full of chaos and anarchy, into realms which could know peace and definition amidst the primordial chaos of those early days of reality. This duty, having fallen to Molt, The Shadow, was carried out with seven swings of his mighty scythe(see 'The Great Divide' in The Cosmology of Ea for more information), suddenly gave definition to a reality which until then had been raw and unformed; suddenly, concepts like good and evil which had until then comingled and intermixed violently like clashing superstorms on a cosmic scale suddenly had realms of their own within which to spread and settle from a timeless eternity of mindless conflict with other cosmic forces.
With this separation, however, came definition - the previously formless and primordially mindless forces of the cosmos, now cleaved into realms of their own in which to grow and mature, each began to grow and mature in different ways as the concepts of reality began to solidify; for Archainus, this came slower than many other of the newly divided planes - while the Primordial Plane of Evil was quick to define itself and spew forth the ravenous Qlippoth and the whirling plane of Chaos Effluvion and its ever-wild Proteans had stood already since before the Great Divide, Archainus itself was slower to develop in comparison. Originally a singular, enormous realm where the ancient and purely good-aligned primordial energies of reality known as Quintessence began to ferment and reshape itself, it was not until the very first beings of "good" appeared within the plane that it truly began to thrive and expand - these beings known now as Couatl are said to have been born as reflections of the often serpentine Proteans, whose forms are ever recorded in the primordial and chaotic Quintessence of Effluvion which all other planes are made of. These massive serpents, primordial arbiters of good in its rawest form, were among the first to dwell within the temperate shores and beautiful valleys of ancient Archainus - acting as warden and protector in unison and guarding the plane against incursion while simultaneously reaching out to the fledgling mortals of the material plane once they began to take shape to guide them along the paths of good they saw and yet see as the only ones truly worth travelling.
It was these ancient beings, the Couatl, which welcomed the first Angels and Archons to the slopes of the Divine Mountain of Archenvost said to have been sculpted by the first Primordial Couatl themselves(now deities in their own right), who first welcomed the Agathions to the misty valleys of Nirvana whose mists were said to have been breathed by the earliest Couatl who formed there, and who first celebrated with the unpredictable Azata who appeared within the untamed wilds of Elysium said to have been first sculpted from the hulking bodies of the first Couatl to have died there. Having helped the mighty Plane of Good through its primordial days and aiding Molt, The Shadow in binding the River of Souls to the plane so the souls of the first judged mortal petitioners could be reborn there as the divine entities known today as the plane's natives, the Couatl now are a seldom-known and seldom spoken of species forgotten by many who even now concern themselves with fighting the forces of primordial evil and guiding mortals along the true paths of good that their home plane of Archainus may continue to thrive.

Tourism

Though most of the visitors to the realm of Archainus are those judged by Molt, The Shadow in The Boneyard Spire after their deaths and sent to Archainus for their deeds in life, these petitioners(Referred to as Elects, Cleansed, and Chosen for the realms of Heaven, Nirvana, and Elysium respectively) are not the only visitors the realms of Archainus recieves - invading armies from Malefacta and The Abyssal Wastes are not uncommon, and planar travelers of all sorts often come to the various realms to trade and do business with its denizens. Additionally, while rarer, living mortal visitors who arrive from planar gateways or even via their own magicks are not unheard of either.

Alternative Name(s)

The Plane of Good, The Last Primordial Plane, The Three-Sphere

Type

Plane of Existence

Ruled By

A Joint Council between Archainus' three realms and its representatives

Prominent People/Organization(s)

The Archenvost Alliance(Heaven), The Bronze Lords(Elysium), The Dreaming Queen(Nirvana)

Related Reading