The Luminous Tapestry

This is a work-in-progress article and subject to changes in the future

The world of Alvandis and its continent, Varzzen, represent merely a single chapter within the vast expanse of the Luminous Tapestry. There are other such worlds that, alongside Alvandis, exist as celestial spheres, each revolving around the Radiant Cocoon, the heart of this cosmic dance. From the vantage point of Alvandis, its night sky becomes a breathtaking panorama, revealing the neighboring spheres in their harmonious dance around this luminous center.

Creation and the Grand Design

When the Radiant One woke in the endless chaotic space, it created the five Inner Spheres orbiting around it: Alvandis, the Cullpines, the Flittermarsh, the Willocrags, and the Glimmergorge. Each plane embodies a different facet of the Radiant One's imagination, and its light fostered life on each of them.

However, the creation was not without adversity. During the Devouring, the cataclysmic battle against the Wurm, the Radiant One sacrificed its fiery form to manifest the Radiant Web — an intricate protective weave shielding its creation from the torrents of chaos. The Radiant One cocooned itself in the center of the Luminous Tapestry, becoming the Radiant Cocoon and leaving behind major radiant strands connecting each plane.

In its foresight, before transitioning into the cocooned state, the Radiant One birthed the Order Pantheon. Comprising six deities, they now oversee the Luminescent Tapestry without their creator. Under their guidance, the Outer Planes emerged, serving as their divine abodes. These planes, while distinct, remain tethered to the Radiant Cocoon, each linked by the radiant strands, echoing the grand design of the Inner Planes.

The Celestial Spheres

When scholars of Alvandis first uncovered hints of other realms, their initial hypothesis was that these were mere parallel dimensions, elusive and only reachable through planar magic. However, a paradigm shift occurred when the astute astrologers of Cor Quae'thum meticulously observed the night skies. Through their telescopes and arcane instruments, they discerned that these realms were not ethereal dimensions but tangible planets, the very ones in Alvandis' night sky, mirroring Alvandis in their dance around the Radiant Cocoon. In recognition of their grandeur and celestial nature, these astrologers coined the term "Celestial Spheres" for these otherworldly bodies.

Inner Spheres

Alvandis

Main article Alvandis
Often referred to as the Material Sphere, Alvandis boasts diverse ecosystems, from thick forests and soaring mountains to vast deserts. It is dominantly inhabited by insectoids, with societies as intricate and varied as the insects they resemble. These intricate civilizations, with their diverse cultures and advancements, have become the focal point of the Luminous Expanse, drawing the attention and intrigue of deities and denizens from the other celestial spheres.

Cullpines

Main article Cullpines
Shrouded in a perpetual mist, the Cullpines are a realm of vast conifer forests, serving as a refuge to the fiendish Strixians. Amidst the shadows of these ancient trees, these avian predators evolve and grow, drawing strength from their prey's very souls and life force. The monstrous Apex Predators dominate the world, each commanding flocks of Strixians in a relentless quest for dominance. In the Cullpines, every moment is a test of survival, as the hierarchy of predators is continuously challenged and reshaped.

Flittermarsh

Main article Flittermarsh
The mystical realm of amphibian-like fey, Flittermarsh is a tapestry of shimmering bogs, tranquil lakes, and immense oceans. Its ever-humid environment fosters lily-pad towns while capricious fey, both benevolent and malevolent, play their tricks on the unwary.

Willocrags

Main article Willocrags
The Willocrags are a land of striking contrasts, where towering volcanoes and ash-covered terrain give way to lush, thriving tropical rainforests. Within these bounds, formidable reptilian tribes and creatures flourish, lending the land a fierce vitality. Governance is shaped by the ever-changing power dynamics among the powerful draconic Broods that rule this land. Some hold sway over the volcanic terrain, while others find strength in the verdant jungles. Above them all, dominant Broods reign supreme in the skies over towering peaks and floating isles.

Glimmergorge

Main article Glimmergorge
Once a proud mammalian world, a cataclysmic event split this planet in two, now resembling a geode cracked open. The inner core glows with vast crystalline structures, and the realm's inhabitants, living within the luminous caverns, have built a new civilization amidst the remnants of the past.

Other Realms

The Radiant Web

Main article Radiant Web
The Radiant Web is a transitional realm, a force of energy that fills everything the light of the Radiant Cocoon touches. It serves as a shield that encapsulates the Celestial Spheres, protecting them from the encroaching chaos of the space beyond. Each sphere is tethered to the Radiant Cocoon by major radiant strands of the web, ensuring stability and order within the system and allowing travel between the planes through planar magic.

The Shyfell

Main article Shyfell
In the Age of Chaos, when Arachnida was banished from the Luminous Tapestry, the arach queen anchored herself in the tear of the Radiant Web created by the Wurm. Here, she spun a web of her own, a darker one, the Shyfell. The Shyfell slowly corrupts more and more of the Radiant Web, with long black strings of dark power that grip at the edges of every plane. Travel between the spheres is often faster through the Shyfell, but its inhabitants, the Shadewoven, don't like intruders.