Imagining 10 Dimensions

[Beefermatic]

I think these videos really can help people understand the dimensions a little better. Take a look.

10 minute version

TL/DR 2 minute version

Deep dive hour and forty-five minute version

 

[Upper_Krust]

I remember using those videos as inspiration back in the day.

That said, I think I made a number of flaws in my initial vision of the Kosmos and I will be correcting those in the forthcoming 5E book where I have some completely new dimensions.

Another factor about the new dimensions (and reworked dimensions) is that they are much more dangerous places to visit and many are hazardous to immortals, let alone mortals. One obvious example of this is the Far Realm - which in D&D has always been treated as a bit of a joke, whereas in the Lovecraft lore immortals sometimes die just witnessing multi-dimensional terrors.

I have also thought a LOT about not only who would reside in each dimension but also how the different factions within each dimension interact. So for somewhere like Byss expect a dozen different factions all operating with different goals, some in different strata of power to each other. Additionally its good to tie all those threads into one over-arching, ongoing 'goal/plot/event/story' to be a good jumping off point for campaigns

Sometimes these revolve around extremely powerful (new) materials and certain factions are competing; fighting; trading; hoarding a given material and that shapes the 'economy' of a dimension.

Also certain beings from mythology have interesting and unexpected ties to these new dimensions that may invert the good guy/bad guy paradigm they are known for.

Finally there is a loose guideline for each dimension 'roughly' how powerful characters need to be survive exploring it, with the hazards and inhabitants getting incrementally more dangerous the higher up the dimensions you go (with Byss being more of an anomaly in that it is dimension zero).

So I think there is still a hell of a lot of unexplored territory for both Epic and especially Immortal+ D&D to expand into.

One last minor point, I am changing the definition of Overgods from Sidereals (who are now Outer Gods) as it was previously to be analogous to Time Lords.

 

[Beefermatic]

I remember using those videos as inspiration back in the day.

That said, I think I made a number of flaws in my initial vision of the Kosmos and I will be correcting those in the forthcoming 5E book where I have some completely new dimensions.

Another factor about the new dimensions (and reworked dimensions) is that they are much more dangerous places to visit and many are hazardous to immortals, let alone mortals. One obvious example of this is the Far Realm - which in D&D has always been treated as a bit of a joke, whereas in the Lovecraft lore immortals sometimes die just witnessing multi-dimensional terrors.

I have also thought a LOT about not only who would reside in each dimension but also how the different factions within each dimension interact. So for somewhere like Byss expect a dozen different factions all operating with different goals, some in different strata of power to each other. Additionally its good to tie all those threads into one over-arching, ongoing 'goal/plot/event/story' to be a good jumping off point for campaigns

Sometimes these revolve around extremely powerful (new) materials and certain factions are competing; fighting; trading; hoarding a given material and that shapes the 'economy' of a dimension.

Also certain beings from mythology have interesting and unexpected ties to these new dimensions that may invert the good guy/bad guy paradigm they are known for.

Finally there is a loose guideline for each dimension 'roughly' how powerful characters need to be survive exploring it, with the hazards and inhabitants getting incrementally more dangerous the higher up the dimensions you go (with Byss being more of an anomaly in that it is dimension zero).

So I think there is still a hell of a lot of unexplored territory for both Epic and especially Immortal+ D&D to expand into.

One last minor point, I am changing the definition of Overgods from Sidereals (who are now Outer Gods) as it was previously to be analogous to Time Lords.

Cool I look forward to reading it!

 

[Upper_Krust]

Cool I look forward to reading it!

Cheers amigo.

Thinking about Epic and the Core Immortal realms we have the Elemental and Astral planes (from a 4E perspective) or the Inner and Outer Planes (as per the standard D&D cosmology).

While these can be dangerous for Epic characters (and mortals in general), they are (for the most part) relatively safe places for Immortals to visit - hence the reasons Immortals actually live in these divinely morphic realms.

Whereas other dimensions are far more inhospitable and dangerous for Immortals. Making them much more interesting for adventures.

Byss may well be synonymous with the Vortex dimension of original D&D, which seems to make sense given the Blackballs. However, we have to differentiate between Entropy and the Border between Reality and Entropy. The border area seems to be more akin to the classic Negative Energy Plane. Passing the border leads to true Annihilation which only exceptional beings might be able to temporarily survive. What lies beyond entropy is of course a mystery.

 

[Beefermatic]

Cheers amigo.

Thinking about Epic and the Core Immortal realms we have the Elemental and Astral planes (from a 4E perspective) or the Inner and Outer Planes (as per the standard D&D cosmology).

While these can be dangerous for Epic characters (and mortals in general), they are (for the most part) relatively safe places for Immortals to visit - hence the reasons Immortals actually live in these divinely morphic realms.

Whereas other dimensions are far more inhospitable and dangerous for Immortals. Making them much more interesting for adventures.

Byss may well be synonymous with the Vortex dimension of original D&D, which seems to make sense given the Blackballs. However, we have to differentiate between Entropy and the Border between Reality and Entropy. The border area seems to be more akin to the classic Negative Energy Plane. Passing the border leads to true Annihilation which only exceptional beings might be able to temporarily survive. What lies beyond entropy is of course a mystery.

What's interesting is I actually made different rules for all the different planar dimensions (not spacetime dimensions) an Immortal can make their realm in. I actually made Byss the most safe, it's the realm of death, of nothingness, so nothing happens there and your realm never grows, it's just stagnant, not that it's without danger, but comparatively it's safe.

The other realms grow more and more dangerous as you move up vibrationally, the outer planes and far place being the most dangerous. The outer planes being the realm of the gods is actually pretty safe but since there are gods, abominations and neotic and adamic dragons there, it can be very dangerous.

The Abyss I have actually split into three places, the Infinite Planes of the Abyss like Hell, is the realm of chaos and evil, The Far Place is the infinite planes of madness, and The Green Realm is the realm of Chaos and Good, it's the land of the Fey and also considered the dimension of Life.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey Beefy amigo!

What's interesting is I actually made different rules for all the different planar dimensions (not spacetime dimensions) an Immortal can make their realm in.

Cool.

I actually made Byss the most safe, it's the realm of death, of nothingness, so nothing happens there and your realm never grows, it's just stagnant, not that it's without danger, but comparatively it's safe.

Entropy being analogous for a universal cancer means that it grows by virtue of other realms succumbing to it. But certainly there is a tangible malaise and apathy congruent with that dimension.

I don't want to give too much away yet but in my version 'Byss' is primarily the physical border between Entropy and Reality. That's where stuff actually still happens - albeit by these crazy new monsters and factions I'll talk about in the book.

The other realms grow more and more dangerous as you move up vibrationally, the outer planes and far place being the most dangerous.

It makes sense for each dimension to up the ante and the power level.

In some ways think of the dimensions as a massive kosmic dungeon. Moving from one to the next is like going deeper into a classic dungeon. The threats are increased, but so to, the rewards.

The outer planes being the realm of the gods is actually pretty safe but since there are gods, abominations and neotic and adamic dragons there, it can be very dangerous.

Certainly the outer planes or wherever can have hostile inhabitants who are dangerous. But I think that is different to the dimension itself being hazardous to the health of immortals.

Plus when you think about it logically, gods would not choose to dwell in places where they were not top of the food chain. They would not dwell in places where they were under threat all of the time.

So the Far Realm may be an interesting place for powerful immortals to go adventuring. But they would have to be mad to try and live there.

The Abyss I have actually split into three places, the Infinite Planes of the Abyss like Hell, os the realm of chaos and evil, The Far Place is the infinite planes of madness, and The Green Realm is the realm of Chaos and Good, it's the land of the Fey and also considered the dimension of Life.

I don't think there is a right or wrong way of structuring the outer planes any more.

I do like the streamlined simplicity of the 4E model where the Astral is the home of the gods (and devils), whereas the Elemental Chaos is the home of the Primordials (and Demons). But at the same time I always loved the Great Wheel, especially for the lower planes.

Either way I am sort of leaving out the Astral/Outer Planes and Elemental/Inner Planes from my new Kosmos Chapter. To explain, I don't mean 'leaving out' as in they don't exist. I mean leaving out in terms of they have been so thoroughly explored that I really don't need to further write about them in my material. At least not beyond the bare basics.

Whereas places like Byss, the Far Realm and the six other dimensions I WILL be detailing, are either completely new concepts or conventionally misunderstood places (like the Far Realm).

 

[dave2008]

Interesting discussion. I thought I would chime in to add that in my version of the kosmos the Far Realm is actually poisonous to the Aether Realm (the default realm in my Kosmos) and its inhabitants (nd vice versa). The more powerful you are (ie gods and other immortals) the more poisonous the relationship. That is a big reason gods are not actively trying to invade the Far Realm, nor are lovecraftian type cosmic horrors an imminent threat to overthrow reality. Azathoth and its ilk need minions to "terraform" reality prior to making a major move.

 

[Beefermatic]

Interesting discussion. I thought I would chime in to add that in my version of the kosmos the Far Realm is actually poisonous to the Aether Realm (the default realm in my Kosmos) and its inhabitants (nd vice versa). The more powerful you are (ie gods and other immortals) the more poisonous the relationship. That is a big reason gods are not actively trying to invade the Far Realm, nor are lovecraftian type cosmic horrors an imminent threat to overthrow reality. Azathoth and its ilk need minions to "terraform" reality prior to making a major move.

Interesting stuff, I'd love to hear more about your storyline and campaign setting

 

[dave2008]

Interesting stuff, I'd love to hear more about your storyline and campaign setting

Ok, I started formally developing my Kosmos with this post: The cosmology of the Wheel and the Aether ; however, it has changed quite a bit since then. Currently, here are the main points:

• There are two main realities (there could be more) the Aether and the Far Realm (I haven't come up with a name for it yet). As previously mentioned, these are poisonous to each other.
• The Aether reality derives its name from the foundational substance of the reality: Aether. Aether is basically Quintessence in UKs work.
• Aether, and the Authority to fully wield it is broken into 5 spheres: Matter, Energy, Thought, Time, and Entropy.
• The Aether reality contains the traditional (mostly) D&D worlds, planes, etc.
  • prime
  • elemental chaos with areas order (ie "Plane of Fire")
  • shadowfell & feywild
  • ethereal & astral
  • outer planes
• Different "worlds" or universes in the Aether reality are functionally separated by varying densities of Far reality (this is explained a bit in the linked post, though some terms have changed). Thus, making in nearly impossible to travel to some worlds, even for gods, despite being of the same reality.
• Within the Aether there are multiple dimensions and each tier of immortal occupies one higher dimension. So demigods are 4D, lesser gods 5D, etc. Mechanically the gives higher dimensional immortals "exalted advantage" and a few other things. Exalted advantage stacks so a greater god rolls 4d20, chose the highest, for every d20 roll vs a mortal / 3D entity.
• God are Immortals with Authority over all reality, something unique to gods, making them the rulers of the Aether reality.
• Gods won this "right" by wining the first/dawn war with the Primordials. Side note, it was during this war that the clash of the order of the Astral and chaos of the Elemental left traces in both. That is why have some areas of "order" in the elemental chaos (ie. plane of water, or fire, or wind, or earth, etc.) and some areas of chaos in the astral (all the chaotic, good and evil, outer planes.
• It was assumed Overgods / Hierarchs were the most powerful Immortals (9D). However, toward the end of the Dawn War, three mighty primordials sacrificed themselves and merged to become Ahat-Hir, the first 11D being. Ahat-Hir almost single handily won the war.

I think that a good start. There is more, but honestly it is mostly in my head and not written down yet.

 

[Beefermatic]

Ok, I start formally developing my Kosmos with this post: The cosmology of the Wheel and the Aether ; however, it has changed quite a bit since then. Currently, here are the main points:

• Currently there are two main realities (there could be more) the Aether and the Far Realm (I haven't come up with a name for it yet). As previously mentioned, these are poisonous to each other.
• The Aether reality derives its name from the foundational substance of the reality: Aether. Aether is basically Quintessence in UKs work.
• Aether, and the Authority to fully wield it is broken into 5 spheres: Matter, Energy, Thought, Time, and Entropy.
• The Aether reality contains the traditional (mostly) D&D worlds, planes, etc.
  • prime
  • elemental chaos with areas order (ie "Plane of Fire")
  • shadowfell & feywild
  • ethereal & astral
  • outer planes
• Different "worlds" or universes in the Aether reality are functionally separated by varying densities of Far reality (this is explained a bit in the linked post, though some terms have changed). Thus, making in nearly impossible to travel to some worlds, even for gods, despite being of the same reality.
• Within the Aether there are multiple dimensions and each tier of immortal occupies one higher dimension. So demigods are 4D, lesser gods 5D, etc. Mechanically the gives higher dimensional immortals "exalted advantage" and a few other things. Exalted advantage stacks so a greater god rolls 4d20, chose the highest, for every d20 roll vs a mortal / 3D entity.
• God are Immortals with Authority over all reality, something unique to gods, making them the rulers of the Aether reality.
• Gods won this "right" by wining the first/dawn war with the Primordials. Side note, it was during this war that the clash of the order of the Astral and chaos of the Elemental left traces in both. That is why have some areas of "order" in the elemental chaos (ie. plane of water, or fire, or wind, or earth, etc.) and some areas of chaos in the astral (all the chaotic, good and evil, outer planes.
• It was assumed Overgods / Hierarchs were the most powerful Immortals (9D). However, toward the end of the Dawn War, three mighty primordials sacrificed themselves and merged to become Ahat-Hir, the first 11D being. Ahat-Hir almost single handily won the war.

I think that a good start. There is more, but honestly it is mostly in my head and not written down yet.

Wow this is really cool! You play your game in 5th edition then?