Inner Planes

The Inner Planes are the building blocks of reality itself, and these realms of elements and energies stand in contrast to the intangible and esoteric Outer Planes, which include the realms of ideals, philosophies, and gods. The Inner Planes at first glance consist of the four classical elements of fire, earth, air, and water, as well the positive and negative energy planes. The elemental planes also intersect one another and thus produce a number of other planes. One analogy of this, and perhaps the easiest way of representing their relationships to one another, is that of an octahedron: the northern pole is the Positive Energy Plane, the southern pole is the Negative Energy Plane, and at the middle four points (not faces) lie the Elemental Planes: Air opposite Earth, Fire opposite Water. Each edge is also either a Para-elemental or quasi-elemental plane of its own. The other way of representing the Inner Planes' relationships with one another is in the form of a chart, and when used in conjunction with the octahedron, a full understanding can be achieved. The Inner planes are also surrounded and inter-woven with the Ethereal Plane, please see Transitional Planes for more details. Let us now take a closer look at the 2 groupings of the Inner Planes.

Elemental Planes

The four main Elemental Planes are Air, Fire, Water and Earth. There also the Para-Elemental Planes which are produced where the Elemental Planes come into contact with each other. They consist of, and are made from: Smoke (Air & Fire), Ooze (Earth & Water), and Magma (Fire & Earth). The Quasi-Elemental Planes are produced where the Elemental Planes touch the Energy Planes: At the intersection of the Positive Energy Plane and the planes of Air, Earth, Fire and Water are Lightning, Minerals, Radiance, and Steam respectively. Around the Negative Energy Planes are Vacuum, Dust, Ash, and Salt. Please see the diagrams included for visual representations.

Please note, none of the opposing planes touch one another as they cancel each other out, violently. This is particularly the case with the Positive and Negative Energy Planes. Thus, Fire and Water do not touch, nor do Air and Earth. There is, of course, one exception to this rule, and that is the Material Plane which is actually composed of all 6 elements; Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Creation (Positive Energy), and Decay (Negative Energy).

Energy Planes

The Energy Planes are unique in that they are not composed of matter but rather a tangible form of creativeness or destructiveness. All life, and unlife, depends on them. Despite this, forms of life composed of these energy "elements" are rare.

Negative Energy Plane

This Plane is the home of stagnation, entropy, and the undead. Any unprotected living creature exposed to the Negative Energy Plane has its life force drain rapidly and will die very quickly. Most Necromantic spells draw on this plane, as do abilities that bolster and rebuke undead, and most undead creatures have an inherent connection to it.

Positive Energy Plane

This is the place of creation and energy, and is the total opposite of the Negative Energy Plane. Despite the plane's life giving effects, unprotected living creatures entering the Positive Energy Plane quickly become overloaded with life energy and may explode. Necromantic spells harming undead and "turn undead" abilities draw on this plane and most deathless creatures have an inherent connection to it.

Well, after that whistle stop tour of the Inner Planes, please see the individual documents listed to the right for more information on the individual Planes themselves.