Planar Marking

Planar Marking is a rare condition acquired as a result of interaction with beings from other planes, particularly, the higher planes, the lower planes, and the elemental planes. Such peoples are exceptionally rare given the high levels magic necessitated by interplanar contact and travel. The condition is generally harmless, and sometimes even beneficial, though the cultural weight associated with certain planar marks can result in tragedy for those with them.

Types of Planar Mark

Mark of the Higher Planes

The Mark of the Higher Planes is associated with the realms of the beneficent gods, and of planes where celestial beings reside. Such a mark is sometimes created when somebody journeys to the higher planes, but is more often granted as a boon by a celestial deity, or given as the mark for a pact made with a celestial being. The Mark of the Higher Planes is the mark that is most likely to be benign, and often confers some sort of benefit on those marked.
Historically, the Mark of the Higher Planes was seen as a boon to those who had it, and those marked are often celebrated, especially in more deeply religious, and organized societies. The Mark of the Higher Planes is, in some societies actively sought out, and indeed the elite of these societies will go through extraordinary efforts to learn magic, or seek out mages to help them travel to or contact the higher planes to earn such a mark.

Mark of the Lower Planes

The Mark of the Lower Planes is associated with the realm of fiends, of malignant deities, and other hellish places that are associated with evilness. A lower planar marking is the most often to be contracted as if a disease traveling in the lower planes, though it is sometimes conferred as a mark given as part of a pact, or exceptionally rarely as a boon from a malign divine being. The Mark of the Lower Planes, is the most likely to have unintended and undesirable side effects, though this is still relatively rare.
The Mark of the Lower Planes, as it is associated with malignant entities, is often one that carries a lot of negative cultural cache, and those found with it may very well be discriminated against, if outright outcast from society, this is especially the case if the mark is associated with 'evil' in deeply religious societies. As a result many people with the Mark of the Lower Planes tend to try and hide their mark and any symptoms associated with it.

Mark of the Elemental Planes

The Mark of the Elemental Planes is tied to the Elemental Planes, most notably the Planes of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air, the realms of the genies, and of the primordial elements of creation. This mark is generally granted as a signature of sorts made by powerful elemental beings (most often genies) when concluding a pact with beings from the mortal realms. It is the most unpredictable, of the major marks, with wildly different outcomes based on the personality of the being making the mark.
Those marked by the elemental planes do often face derision in some cultures as they are seen as having made a bargain with a dangerous being in exchange for mortal boons. In other cultures however, this is absolutely seen as a positive, a sign of drive and ambition, and willingness to go through a great deal of effort in order to achieve one's goals. Rarely however, is someone Elementally Marked formally given higher or lower status however.

Other Planar Marks

Though Higher, Lower, and Elemental Planar marks are the most common, they are far from the only marks to exist. It is not uncommon for example, for someone to travel to the Feywilds and be left with a lasting mark by the fae creatures as a prank, or to achieve some incomprehensible goal; nor is it unheard of those who go to Limbo, or to Mechanus to be left with some lasting mark of their time there, or as a reminder from some powerful being.
These minor planar marks are, as a rule less obvious, at least to those not well learned on matters of the planes; and as a result it is highly unlikely to be seen as special to bear one of these marks, with most given minor marks treated as any other member of the general public. Those in the know do sometimes however, seek out those given such marks either for assistance, or take them up as magical apprentice.

Causes

Planar marks are generally acquired in one of two ways; to acquire the mark through planar travel, or to be given the mark by some powerful extraplanar entity. Though it is fairly uncommon for major marks, minor planar marks will often be inherited by children of a person thusly marked. What specifically causes a mark to occur however, aside from being given one, is more or less unknown however; as scholarship for marks is limited largely to those with potent spellcasting ability.

Symptoms

The Planar Mark is usually relatively benign, with those marked rarely suffering any symptoms beyond a small, strange mark somewhere on their body. Oftentimes this will appear as a small birthmark, or in the case of more malignant marks as a small scar. Sometimes there will be other cosmetic effects such as inexplicable breezes moving through hair for Air Plane marked individuals, small horns or red eyes for Hellish marks, or strange glows about Heavenly marked individuals.
Rarely, a planar mark will confer benefits or weigh down with curses. Most commonly this results in strange natural abilities in comparison to unmarked people, an orc might be extremely intelligent but frailer than their kin for example, or an elf my be clumsier than their brethern, but with much greater strength than is the norm. More obviously, however, they might possess abilities that are completely unnatural to their species, such as wings, blindsense, or claws on races not known for those abilities, or less obviously dramatically reduced aging, or increased reslience.
For those marked by the Higher Planes, Lower Planes, or Elemental Planes, there is also one other unqiue, and nearly universal impact of their marking. Those given marks from those planes are quite likely to give birth to planetouched children; moreso than even a planetouched person having children with untouched beings, and second only to two planetouched parents. Indeed, this is acknowledged in certain cultures, and the basis for seeking out marks in a few of them.

Affected Groups

Theoretically, any sentient being, aside from those already marked, and the planetouched can be affected by Planar marks, and indeed many do. However, certain types of people, like the ambitious, the greedy, and the devoted; those who are strongly driven are more likely to be marked, particularly if their drive resonates strongly with the plane's signature. Additionally, some powerful celestial, fiendish, and elemental entities are known to be able to detect potentially vulnerable creatures for their services, and many use this to mark sentients on their home plane.

Prevention

Those who do not wish to be marked by the planes can take some preventative measures when preparing to travel to them. Often a blood totem can be made, putting some of your blood, and it is assumed, your life essence in a vial on the material plane can prevent your very being from being scarred by the transplanar experience. Similarly, there are other strange treatments put in place to safeguard oneself from the mark. Already marked peoples, and planetouched peoples are known to be unable to be marked further by the planes.

Cultural Reception

Cultural reception to the Planar Mark depends highly on the culture, and the nature of the mark. Generally speaking however, those known to be marked by the planes, or at least, those bearing one of the major marks, is generally set apart from other people in their society. It is up to the nature of the mark, and of any other identifying features that determine whether such people are revered, discriminated against, or just generally left to their own devices.

Type

Supernatural

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired & Congenital

Rarity

Rare

Roleplaying Tips for 5e DnD

Note: These are rough guidelines, and not strict rules for those wishing to roleplay with Planar Marks.
Being Marked In Play
Players may be given planar marks when they enter, or leave a plane known to give them, or if making a pact with a powerful creature from these planes. A player marked by travel, may resist being marked if they make a DC 8 Charisma saving throw, creatures marked by pact may not make a save. If marked in play, a character might not have any significant impact. Given the nature of marks, it could only be a small unobtrusive mark somewhere on their body. Less likely, other more significant, but still only cosmetic changes might also occur. If the DM and Player both agree on some statistical changes. These could be any of the following (at the discretion of the DM

• Rearrange ability scores, move up to 3 ability score points to other scores, ensuring no ability score goes below 3, and no ability score goes about 20.
• Give the character a unique ability. A flying speed, claws, horns, darkvision, or something else. Note that this ability should be no more powerful than expected of a racial trait.
• A player might be granted the ability to cast one or two spells without any material components. These spells are likely going to come from the sorcerer or warlock spell list, be of no higher than second level, and can cast no more than twice per day. Charisma would be the casting ability in this case.
• For marks bestowed by malignant entities the mark could be a potent curse(as if the spell Bestow Curse had been cast at 9th level). Curses bestowed this way must constantly be kept in check with curse removal assuaging the symptoms for up to a week. However, if a curse is bestowed, it can be removed by the entity marking someone, usually in exchange for a service.

Marks as a Background
Being the recipient of a planar mark, as it would naturally set a person apart from the rest of society, makes for strong fodder for an adventurer's background. It could be applied in any number of ways, but here are a few suggestions;

• Being descended from somebody marked makes somebody far more likely to be a planetouched being (such as a Genasi, Aasimar, or Tiefling), and if somebody wishes to avoid having direct extraplanar parentage, this would be the way to go.
• A planar mark is also ample background fodder for a number of Sorcerous Origins, such as for Clockwork Souls, Divine Souls, and Shadow Mages. It could also be part of the bond of a Warlock Pact, particularly with Genies, Fiends, and Fae.
• If one uses the customizable origins in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, a planar mark is almost certainly going to result in unqiue bloodlines amply ready to make use of custom origins rules, and modification of extant races using those same rules.