Plane of Earth

The Unyielding Expanse

At the same time similar to and in sharp contrast with the Planes of Air and Water, the Plane of Earth is almost entirely solid matter. Open, explorable spaces are the exception, rather than the rule. Tunnels ranging from narrow to massive are more common, without ubiquitous gravity to collapse them.

Traits

• Gravity: Beings with souls and will decide where 'down' is (in other words, Subjective Directional Gravity). Certain areas have an obvious 'preferred' down, and the GM may require a Willpower check of difficulty 5 or 10 in these cases to choose a different one.
• More Gravity: Due to the elemental nature of Earth, however, some areas have their own gravity, typically of the abnormally high variety. This can range from simple increases in weight and/or enforced direction to something akin to a Gravity Destruction spell.
• Magic: Spells of the Path of Earth (including subpaths or free access spells a caster uses with it) take effect at one level higher than they are cast at, while spells on the Path of Air suffer the opposite effect.
• Psionics: Psychic powers from the Discipline of Teleportation suffer a -20 to Potential. This drops to -40 in areas of high gravity. Psychokinesis powers related to defense or rearranging matter gain a +20 to Potential.

Geography

Tunnels in through rock and soil are common, though there is also the strange effect that many chunks simply float in the soil in the absence of objective gravity. In some tunnels and caverns (which can range from 'unable to be crawled through' to 'large enough to fit a continent into'), this results in planetoids floating in the open spaces. Portals to the Plane of Air supply most, though not all, of these cavities with breathable air one way or another. These caverns can take a variety of forms, from hivelike central tunnels that branch out in myriad directions to deep ravines.
The consistency of the material varies as well, with even massive pockets of sand being present in some areas. Areas full of crystals are not uncommon either, and many glowing crystals tend to illuminate the regions closer to the Plane of Light. Tunnels flooded with water and fish occur on the opposite end for similar reasons. However, the views of the tunnels pale in comparison to some of the other local phenomena. With elemental links to magnetism and gravity, the plane can have alien effects in certain areas, often lasting weeks, months, or even centuries.
Some regions are distinctly metallic due to convergences of magnetic force drawing the ore from stone. These regions have a tendency to pull in any hapless adventurer wearing metal equipment or disrupt electricity-based attacks. Even more dangerous than this, however, are areas where gravitational magics converge. Tunneling comes at a great risk of suddenly finding that 'down' is not where you intended for it to be, leading to falling into areas with lethal, crushing gravity. Some of the previously mentioned planetoids even orbit these areas, adding to both their spectacle and danger.

Fauna & Flora

Due to the nature of their home plane, most residents of the Plane of Earth are capable of some form of burrowing or phasing through solid matter. This includes beings akin to giant moles, lizards, and worms, or insectoid creatures with hard, chitinous shells. Out of necessity, some beings are capable of supernaturally manipulating the soil in their immediate vicinity to close and open tunnels, making them difficult to fight or pursue for those that cannot quickly burrow themselves. More elemental beings tend to glide through rock and earth as easily as fish swim.
Perhaps even more so than other planes, many residents of the Unyielding Expanse are animated forms of the material that surrounds them, which can serve as a form of camouflage. Beings of sand, mud, earth, rock, and even hard crystal and metal are common, whether they are vaguely humanoid or take more beastly shapes. The latter in particular tend to be common, identifiable servants for summoners in The Eye due to their low intelligence and capabilities in most terrestrial environments.
Various forms of otherworldly fish are present closer to the Plane of Water, while entities of light that can hunt by sensing and phasing through local rock haunt the border of the Plane of Light. Patient, wingless dragons that can effortlessly glide through the rock serve as even more powerful predators. The most ghostly and feared, however, are spirits of magnetic or gravitational energy. Though they are rarer than even dragons, their ability to strike from nowhere and bend many of the most relied-upon aspects of the plane to their whims make them terrifying presences. In fact, many settlements have enchanted outer walls for the sole purpose of warding these strange local boogie-men away.

Natural Resources

Terrestrial ores are in abundance in the tunnels, and this is sometimes prized more than anything unique to the plane itself. However, this is not to say it does not have its own resources of value. Some stones and even sands from here retain strange gravitational or magnetic properties, such as falling upward or repelling other stone, even if that stone is completely mundane. Others, like Adamantite, are simply of impressive hardness, but for the same reason must be worked magically, such as by a Forge spell. Naturally formed prisms that have strange effects upon Light magic are also present, as well as with creatures with pelts or chitin as strong as terrestrial metal, but without its magnetic and conductive properties.

Type

Dimensional plane

Owner/Ruler

Bearer of the Burden