Astral Plane
The Silver Sea: Navigating the Astral Plane
The Astral Plane is sometimes conflated with the terms Astral Sea, Wildspace, Rolara Space, or the Realm of Dreams. However, though Astral Plane is infinite and incomprehensible in both its scope and its true nature, we can differentiate the Astral Sea and Rolaraspace from the Astral Plane in general. A Transitive Plane, the Astral Plane is different from outer planes that are both conceptually and metaphysically isolated from the material plane. Instead, like the Ethereal Plane, the Astral Plane appears to simultaneously exist separate from the material plane and adjacent to it.
While the entire plane of existence is known as the Astral Plane, the least explored and understood parts are called the Astral Sea. Here, spacefaring creatures and civilizations travel the plane in a sturdy vessel known as a Spelljammer. Wildspace is a generic term for Rolaraspace, or a similar space such as Realmspace in another wildspace sphere. Far enough into the Astral Plane, and travelers can discover the Realm of Dreams, the hope of sleeping creatures from everywhere in the multiverse and all of our darkest nightmares, too. In Dreamspace, Spelljammers cease to function, and the already strange rules of the Astral Plane start to break.
Even farther, and you risk entering the Far Realm, an alien place so incredibly different that attempting to perceive or understand the plane can cause severe psychic trauma to most humanoids. This place is the source of aberrations like mind flayers and the legendary monster, Hundun.
While the entire plane of existence is known as the Astral Plane, the least explored and understood parts are called the Astral Sea. Here, spacefaring creatures and civilizations travel the plane in a sturdy vessel known as a Spelljammer. Wildspace is a generic term for Rolaraspace, or a similar space such as Realmspace in another wildspace sphere. Far enough into the Astral Plane, and travelers can discover the Realm of Dreams, the hope of sleeping creatures from everywhere in the multiverse and all of our darkest nightmares, too. In Dreamspace, Spelljammers cease to function, and the already strange rules of the Astral Plane start to break.
Even farther, and you risk entering the Far Realm, an alien place so incredibly different that attempting to perceive or understand the plane can cause severe psychic trauma to most humanoids. This place is the source of aberrations like mind flayers and the legendary monster, Hundun.
Rolaraspace
This refers to the Wildspace in which the world of Rolara can be found. Within this astral system, you will find the world Rolara as well as others such as Zohiruta (Zo-HEER-oo-ta). Various asteroids, clouds of stardust and gas can be found floating throughout the dark purple silver background.Xenov
Xenov is a small world closest to the sun in Rolaraspace. It is rule by the Xenovi, a race of female warrior celestials. The architecture features buildings of crystal and glass that reflect cascading rays of radiant solar energy visible from other worlds.Motrolara
Motrolara is a spinning gear disc from Mechanus that got dislodged from the plane during an ancient, magical upheaval. This upheaval predates even the arrival of dragons on Rolara. Strange mechanical constructs can be found on either side.Keiter
The craggy rock Keiter is a world populated primarily by dwarves descended from a clan that settled here during the Age of Wonders before the Stars of Power were extinguished. There, the dwarven halls are made from crystal taken from Xenov.Zohiruta
This world is known for its scaly natives.Geography
The Astral Plane is an endless sea of stars, colorful clouds and inky blackness. This bleakness is broken up only by floating bits of matter such as rock, metal, and ice. There are magical pools of color strewn about, that link the plane to various other planes of existence and many from a distance appear to be mere motes of innocuous light, just as the stars that dot the horizon. It is the same above as below, and in nearly all directions.
The border between the material plane and the astral plane is a smooth gradient transition at the place where the planet Rolara's atmosphere meets the beginning of the Astral Plane. This zone is called Rolaraspace, and it includes the range around the planet Rolara and extends the circumference of the local planetary system. This planetary system is sealed off by an immense magical crystal sphere. Orbiting Rolara itself are two satellites, one a natural moon and the other an constructed moon that is itself another, smaller crystal sphere.
The border between the material plane and the astral plane is a smooth gradient transition at the place where the planet Rolara's atmosphere meets the beginning of the Astral Plane. This zone is called Rolaraspace, and it includes the range around the planet Rolara and extends the circumference of the local planetary system. This planetary system is sealed off by an immense magical crystal sphere. Orbiting Rolara itself are two satellites, one a natural moon and the other an constructed moon that is itself another, smaller crystal sphere.
Important Locations in Rolaraspace
- The Palace of Divinity, and therfore Mechanus, is accessible from a floating mass of clouds from which a set of massive jade and adamantine doors known as the Gate of Heaven rest upon.
- The Zodiac Village is a group of interconnected asteroids ruled by animal folk split into twelve clans. This ring of asteroids surrounds the smaller of Rolara's two moons.
- The Larger of Rolara's moons is tidally locked and has a side that is always facing away from the surface of Rolara, and this is from where Changelings come. What other eldritch beings hide in the Moonshadow?
- The Silk Bridge is an asteroid belt that comes to life with a dazzling and explosive display of pyrotechnics each year when meteors fly through the system each year. It gets its name from the Jiao tale of The tale of Zhinu and the Silk Bridge. Jez'rathkar Varsh, warriors of the Ti'shal Vrlakki are known to train here, due to the unique psychic nature of the locale.
- Mount Origin, also known as Kailasa or Iquasilath, is not merely a mountain but a cosmic pillar that connects the material plane of Rolara to the celestial realms. Its peak, a place where the terrestrial meets the astral, is a testament to the ancient and mystical history of Rolara. This colossal mountain is so grand that its pinnacle stretches into the Astral Plane, making it a unique geographical and metaphysical landmark.
Localized Phenomena
The Astral Plane is usually considered to be well lit, and typically one's astral body or even their physical form if they arrive by other means can see up to the vision range unimpeded. Other than stars and pools of color, only conduits provide any light. When there is a portal between an Outer Plane and the Material Plane or two Outer Planes, the wormhole created must pass through the Astral Plane. These portals, when observed by a traveler or astral body from within the Astral Plane appear as ortices that look similar to water spouts on the surface of a lake or sea that fade into the inky bleakness of the plane at either end. These are called conduits.
Pools of color can be used to travel to outer planes or the material plane, or even the material plane of another crystal sphere. They can also lead to the Etheral Plane.
While air envelopes are affected by getting close to another ship, gravity planes only interact when actual contact between two or more ships is made. When this happens, you better hope you're buckled up because the ship with fewer hit points immediately comes under the effect of the gravity plane from the vessel with more hit points.
If you were to fall off of a ship—say, as a result of changing gravity planes or a vicious blow—and you can't land on a surface affected by a gravity plane, you will begin to drift into Wildspace. In this case, the ship's gravity will keep you around, but not for long. Any untethered creature or object drifts 10 feet per minute toward the back of the ship's air envelope, opposite the direction the ship is moving. This can be dire for creatures that need to breathe, as they will eventually exit the ship's air envelope and have minimal time to find breathable air.
Pools of color can be used to travel to outer planes or the material plane, or even the material plane of another crystal sphere. They can also lead to the Etheral Plane.
Gravity
For massive objects like moons and planets, gravity works similarly to how we experience it on Earth. Hopefully, gravity is pulling you down to the center of the earth so you can walk on the surface without feeling a change—which is how it works for these large bodies in Wildspace. This seems to hold true for world that aren't spherical or planetoids. For objects like Spelljammers, gravity functions as a metaphysical plane that cuts through the horizontal axis of the vessel and extends the length of the air envelope (see image above). This allows creatures to walk on the deck of a ship and even flip upside-down to walk on the bottom of the ship, though it can cause a strange anomaly when two ships collide.While air envelopes are affected by getting close to another ship, gravity planes only interact when actual contact between two or more ships is made. When this happens, you better hope you're buckled up because the ship with fewer hit points immediately comes under the effect of the gravity plane from the vessel with more hit points.
If you were to fall off of a ship—say, as a result of changing gravity planes or a vicious blow—and you can't land on a surface affected by a gravity plane, you will begin to drift into Wildspace. In this case, the ship's gravity will keep you around, but not for long. Any untethered creature or object drifts 10 feet per minute toward the back of the ship's air envelope, opposite the direction the ship is moving. This can be dire for creatures that need to breathe, as they will eventually exit the ship's air envelope and have minimal time to find breathable air.
Natural Resources
The bodies of dead gods occasionally litter the plane. Gods, who exist simultaneously as thought, concept, dream, and as actual corporeal beings, are thought to rest or decay here when they die.
Zhe Na, when he died the third time left his body in floating aimlessly in the Astral Sea. Before Rolara was formed, as well as the Upper and Lower Planes, the shards of The Mythekah simply drifted until outside forces acted upon the remains.
Zhe Na, when he died the third time left his body in floating aimlessly in the Astral Sea. Before Rolara was formed, as well as the Upper and Lower Planes, the shards of The Mythekah simply drifted until outside forces acted upon the remains.
Tourism
Within the boundless, enigmatic expanse of the Astral Sea, there lies a realm that defies the conventions of space and time, a tapestry of cosmic wonder and abyssal voids, woven from the very fabric of existence. It is a place where the laws of the physical universe bow before the whims of magic and thought, where the remnants of creation and destruction float in an eternal dance. As a scholar dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos, I find myself drawn to the haunting beauty and terror of the Astral Sea, a realm that embodies the essence of comic horror romanticism. Imagine, if you will, a sea not of water, but of raw, unbridled potential, where stars and nebulae are replaced by the glowing motes of astral light and the looming, silent figures of gods long dead. Here, the darkness is not merely the absence of light, but a canvas for the imagination, where the deepest fears and greatest hopes of all beings are cast into the void, only to be reflected back by the shimmering essence of the Astral Plane. The Astral Sea is not empty; it is a place of profound loneliness, a cosmic ocean where travelers wander in search of meaning, power, or escape. Amidst the vast nothingness, bubbles of astral light appear like ghostly lanterns, guiding or misleading those who dare navigate its treacherous currents. The corpses of dead gods float aimlessly, their divine forms preserved in the timeless expanse, serving as both a reminder of the impermanence of power and the eternal nature of the divine spark. But it is not merely a place of desolation and despair. The Astral Sea is also a realm of unparalleled beauty, where the boundless imagination of countless beings converges. Here, in the eerie silence, one can hear the whispers of the universe, telling tales of love that transcends dimensions, of horror that grips the soul, and of comedy that finds its place even in the darkest corners of existence. From the perspective of a scholar, the Astral Sea represents the ultimate frontier of knowledge, a place where the veil between the known and the unknowable is at its thinnest. It is a domain where the cosmic horror of insignificance meets the romanticism of endless possibility, where the terror of the unknown coexists with the awe of discovery. As I pen these words, I am reminded of the fragility of our existence in the face of the infinite. The Astral Sea beckons, a siren call to those who seek to understand the mysteries of the cosmos, a reminder that in the vastness of the universe, we are but fleeting shadows cast by the light of distant, astral fires.Getting to the Astral Plane can be challenging, because your starting point will dictate the options available to you. However, most creatures from anywhere can get to the Astral Plane in some fashion with enough effort and all creatures who dream visit the realm in their astral form whenever they sleep.
While you can enter the Astral Plane from any of the Outer Planes or from the Material Plane, you cannot typically enter the Astral Plane from the Inner Planes.
Astral Projection
The spell astral projection allows the caster to send willing creatures to the Astral Plane in what is known as their Astral Body. When a soul bearing creature on Rolara takes on an astral body, this form reflects the origin of all sapient life and reveals the original nature of their souls: since the original souls of Rolara were all dragons, all astral bodies have draconic characteristics that their current physical form doesn't have. This holds true even for creatures such as Dragonborn, who become either more draconic looking or take on draconic features they didn't have before. Regardless of a traveler's astral form, other astral bodies linked to individuals who can recognize you either by sight or sound can recognize your altered astral body without issue.
Astral Bodies are connected to physical bodies by a magical Silver cord. This cord is nearly impossible to sever, and allows your astral form to return safely to your body. Beware, however. Severed silver cords are a rare problem for Astralnauts, as they're referred to colloquially, but the results are usually lethal. Astral bodies however, typically are unaffected by attacks or molestation from monsters or the natural dangers of the plane.
Physical Travel
Portals, spells, or magic items or vehicles can take adventurers brave enough directly into the Astral Plane. Doing so risks harm to their physical body, as the dangerous creatures of the plane exist both as concepts and as actual monsters that could threaten them. Unlike with astral projection, however, you can bring all of your possessions with you and you don't have to protect your silver cord from angry travelers with silver swords.
Movement
There are two types of movement available to travelers in the Astral Plane. First is clumsy physical movement. There is no gravity in the Astral Plane, though objects can be pushed and thrown at normal speeds. Pushing off of other objects is so inefficient, however, that it is rarely used except by new visitors to the plane or by incidence.
Mental concentration is the preferred manner of movement, and it requires a decent bit of mental fortitude. Creatures move at a rate of 3 x INT score. However, outside of combat there isn't much need to focus on speed.
Astral Travel Times
It can take many hours to travel across the Astral Plane, but ultimately this time is irrelevant. A traveler who wishes to spend more time on the Astral Plane only has to desire it to be so, and they may. Though time on the Astral Plane matches time on the Material Plane, the effects of time cease to affect creatures entirely for the duration of their time on the Plane. This means that creatures on the astral plane don't age, don't require food or rest. Indeed, creatures native to the plane, such as Githyanki, tend to have outposts on planes where time affects things normally for the purposes of reach maturity.
If a traveler needs to move through the Astral Plane quickly, or discover a color pool, portal or some other location they aren't aware of, then they tend to rely on Spelljammers or enchanted items or spells to locate and arrive in a timely manner. Further, spells like Plane Shift and Astral Projection, for instance, can be used to place travelers in familiar areas of the plane allowing for relativistically quick travel.
Top 5 Hotspots for Travelers
- Paellia's Mobile Library
An eladrin, banished from another crystal sphere, has brought his illegal library here. After meeting the uncivilized groundlings of Rolara in 420 PE, he determined he'd have better luck attracting customers who could read somewhere more literate. He travelled Rolaraspace until he found a color pool that lead to the (Target Destination) - The Crown
A beautiful golden cloud dotted with stars that makes it look much like a gem studded crown. When viewed from the proper vantage point near the Zeb Rock, it is breathtaking.
Alternative Name(s)
Sea of Stars, Wildspace, Astral Sea, Rolaraspace, Realm of Dreams
Type
Plane of Existence
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