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<blockquote data-quote="Nonlethal Force" data-source="post: 2733875" data-attributes="member: 35788"><p><strong>Cosmology: Planar Alignment</strong></p><p></p><p>The planar construction of Enigmatica is slightly different than other worlds. The best analogy to start with is that of an Oreo cookie – although this image can only take the understanding so far. The Material plane (as well as the coexistant Ethereal Plane and Plane of Shadows) is sandwiched between two nearly opposite Astral Planes (which would act as the “cookie part” in the Oreo analogy). These Astral Planes have the same traits as those in the typical D&D cosmology with one exception: The Astral Plane above the Material Plane is filled with positive energy while the Astral Plane below the Material Plane is filled with negative energy. In many respects, it is as if the common conventions known as the Positive Energy Plane and the Astral Plane merged to form a new Positive Astral Plane while the Negative Energy Plane and the rest of the Astral Plane merged to form a second new plane called the Negative Astral Plane. Those spells which use Negative energy draw off of the Negative Astral Plane while those spells which use Positive energy draw off of the Positive Astral Plane. The other major difference is that the Positive and Negative Astral planes are never coexistant or even coterminous with each other – although they are each frequently coterminous with the Material Plane. The Positive and Negative Astral Planes are completely separate. To get from one Astral Plane to the other, one must make a stop in another plane such as the Material Plane.</p><p></p><p>Of course, there are four other planes which help link the Positive Astral Plane to the Negative Astral Plane. Each of the Elemental Planes (Air, Earth, Fire, Water) are coterminous with both Astral Planes. However, the Elemental Planes are not coterminous with each other. Thus, for a person to travel from the Plane of Fire to the Plane of Water they must use a spell or find a portal that leads them through either of the Astral Planes. Additionally, the Elemental Planes are not coterminous with the Material Plane. Therefore, to travel from the Material Plane to an Elemental Plane a person must travel through either one of the Astral Planes. To continue the Oreo analogy from above, if one was to take an Oreo where the top cookie crust is the Positive Astral Plane and the bottom cookie is the Negative Astral Plane and make a connection from the top cookie to the bottom cookie in four different locations (Think compass direction of N,E,S,W for simplicity sake) without having the connection touch the cream-filled center, these connections would represent the Elemental Planes.</p><p></p><p>The outer planes also exist, however they exist only attached to one of the Astral Planes and on the opposite side of that plane from the Material Plane. There are eight planes connected to the Negative Astral Plane. These planes form a circle, meaning that each plane in the list is coterminous with the Astral Plane, the plane that precedes it, and the plane that follows it in the following order: Limbo, Pandemonium, Abyss, Carceri, Hades, Gehenna, Nine Hells of Baator, and Acheron. This allows some movement in special circumstances, but difficult movement in others. For example, if a person wanted to move from the Abyss to Pandemonium the player could either travel through the Negative Astral Plane or find the edge of the Abyss and merely cross over it into Pandemonium. (Blending of the two planes does occur during the transition) However, should a person desire to travel from Carceri to Acheron they would face a greater challenge. They could, of course, merely pass through the Negative Astral Plane and arrive at their destination. However, if the person was adventurous they could try to pass from Carceri through Hades, Gehenna, the Nine Hells of Baator, and into Acheron or they could go the other way and pass from Carceri into the Abyss, Pandemonium, Limbo, and into Acheron.</p><p></p><p>In a similar fashion, there are eight planes connected to the Positive Astral Plane. These planes also form a circle, acting nearly identically to the outer planes attached to the Negative Astral Plane. These planes are: Mechanus, Arcadia, Celestia, Bytopia, Elysium, the Beastlands, Arborea, and Ysgaard. These outer planes are also coterminous with the Positive Astral Plane and the planes that precede and follow it in the list. Movement among these planes is identical to movement among the other set of outer planes.</p><p></p><p>Of course, this planar arrangement heightens the impact of planar battles upon the Material Plane. For example, suppose a deity existing on the plane of the Abyss wishes to lash out and attack someone or something on the plane of Celestia. First, they must travel through the Negative Astral Plane and into either the Material Plane or one of the Elemental Planes. Only once they have passed through the Material Plane (or an Elemental Plane) could they connect to the Positive Astral Plane and travel into the plane of Celestia. The fact that neither Astral Plane is coterminous with the other implies that it is necessary to stop in one of the planes in the middle. From this example, it should follow easily that the Material Plane is significant in the divinely waged wars.</p><p></p><p>Of course, most good and neutral deities understand that humanity must not be interfered with except to maintain balance or under other extreme circumstances. For this reason solars, guardinals, and other celestial creatures typically choose to travel through one of the Elemental Planes rather than disturbing the Material Plane. This explains why celestial creatures are still considered rare in Enigmatica.</p><p></p><p>However, evil does not bow to such a pure convention. To most evil presences, the Material Plane is the easiest plane to travel across, much more easily than any of the raw Elemental Planes. Evil deities bent on conquest see the Material Plane as the stepping stone to the conquest and corruption of the Positive Astral Plane and the outer planes connected to it. The Material Plane being the easiest choice, evil deities willingly pour Negative Energy into the Material Plane. This explains why undead, demons, devils, and other unspeakable horrors are much more commonly seen on Enigmatica than their good counterparts.</p><p></p><p>Of course, it goes without saying that there is a strong majority of portals leading through the Negative Astral Plane in the region of Quehalost – although there are a very rare few leading through the Positive Astral Plane from Quehalost. Likewise, there is significant larger percentage of portals leading through the Positive Astral Plane than through the Negative Astral Plane in the Kingdom of Barghost – although there are a few that can be found which lead through the Negative Astral Plane. Essentially, this means that besides having their own troubles of inter-kingdom relations to worry about, the residents of the Material Plane also find themselves living in a place of divinely scaled battle. The deities of evil have no shame in sending their minions through to conquest and destroy the residents of the Material Plane. The deities of good prefer to take a much more subtle presence in the world.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nonlethal Force, post: 2733875, member: 35788"] [b]Cosmology: Planar Alignment[/b] The planar construction of Enigmatica is slightly different than other worlds. The best analogy to start with is that of an Oreo cookie – although this image can only take the understanding so far. The Material plane (as well as the coexistant Ethereal Plane and Plane of Shadows) is sandwiched between two nearly opposite Astral Planes (which would act as the “cookie part” in the Oreo analogy). These Astral Planes have the same traits as those in the typical D&D cosmology with one exception: The Astral Plane above the Material Plane is filled with positive energy while the Astral Plane below the Material Plane is filled with negative energy. In many respects, it is as if the common conventions known as the Positive Energy Plane and the Astral Plane merged to form a new Positive Astral Plane while the Negative Energy Plane and the rest of the Astral Plane merged to form a second new plane called the Negative Astral Plane. Those spells which use Negative energy draw off of the Negative Astral Plane while those spells which use Positive energy draw off of the Positive Astral Plane. The other major difference is that the Positive and Negative Astral planes are never coexistant or even coterminous with each other – although they are each frequently coterminous with the Material Plane. The Positive and Negative Astral Planes are completely separate. To get from one Astral Plane to the other, one must make a stop in another plane such as the Material Plane. Of course, there are four other planes which help link the Positive Astral Plane to the Negative Astral Plane. Each of the Elemental Planes (Air, Earth, Fire, Water) are coterminous with both Astral Planes. However, the Elemental Planes are not coterminous with each other. Thus, for a person to travel from the Plane of Fire to the Plane of Water they must use a spell or find a portal that leads them through either of the Astral Planes. Additionally, the Elemental Planes are not coterminous with the Material Plane. Therefore, to travel from the Material Plane to an Elemental Plane a person must travel through either one of the Astral Planes. To continue the Oreo analogy from above, if one was to take an Oreo where the top cookie crust is the Positive Astral Plane and the bottom cookie is the Negative Astral Plane and make a connection from the top cookie to the bottom cookie in four different locations (Think compass direction of N,E,S,W for simplicity sake) without having the connection touch the cream-filled center, these connections would represent the Elemental Planes. The outer planes also exist, however they exist only attached to one of the Astral Planes and on the opposite side of that plane from the Material Plane. There are eight planes connected to the Negative Astral Plane. These planes form a circle, meaning that each plane in the list is coterminous with the Astral Plane, the plane that precedes it, and the plane that follows it in the following order: Limbo, Pandemonium, Abyss, Carceri, Hades, Gehenna, Nine Hells of Baator, and Acheron. This allows some movement in special circumstances, but difficult movement in others. For example, if a person wanted to move from the Abyss to Pandemonium the player could either travel through the Negative Astral Plane or find the edge of the Abyss and merely cross over it into Pandemonium. (Blending of the two planes does occur during the transition) However, should a person desire to travel from Carceri to Acheron they would face a greater challenge. They could, of course, merely pass through the Negative Astral Plane and arrive at their destination. However, if the person was adventurous they could try to pass from Carceri through Hades, Gehenna, the Nine Hells of Baator, and into Acheron or they could go the other way and pass from Carceri into the Abyss, Pandemonium, Limbo, and into Acheron. In a similar fashion, there are eight planes connected to the Positive Astral Plane. These planes also form a circle, acting nearly identically to the outer planes attached to the Negative Astral Plane. These planes are: Mechanus, Arcadia, Celestia, Bytopia, Elysium, the Beastlands, Arborea, and Ysgaard. These outer planes are also coterminous with the Positive Astral Plane and the planes that precede and follow it in the list. Movement among these planes is identical to movement among the other set of outer planes. Of course, this planar arrangement heightens the impact of planar battles upon the Material Plane. For example, suppose a deity existing on the plane of the Abyss wishes to lash out and attack someone or something on the plane of Celestia. First, they must travel through the Negative Astral Plane and into either the Material Plane or one of the Elemental Planes. Only once they have passed through the Material Plane (or an Elemental Plane) could they connect to the Positive Astral Plane and travel into the plane of Celestia. The fact that neither Astral Plane is coterminous with the other implies that it is necessary to stop in one of the planes in the middle. From this example, it should follow easily that the Material Plane is significant in the divinely waged wars. Of course, most good and neutral deities understand that humanity must not be interfered with except to maintain balance or under other extreme circumstances. For this reason solars, guardinals, and other celestial creatures typically choose to travel through one of the Elemental Planes rather than disturbing the Material Plane. This explains why celestial creatures are still considered rare in Enigmatica. However, evil does not bow to such a pure convention. To most evil presences, the Material Plane is the easiest plane to travel across, much more easily than any of the raw Elemental Planes. Evil deities bent on conquest see the Material Plane as the stepping stone to the conquest and corruption of the Positive Astral Plane and the outer planes connected to it. The Material Plane being the easiest choice, evil deities willingly pour Negative Energy into the Material Plane. This explains why undead, demons, devils, and other unspeakable horrors are much more commonly seen on Enigmatica than their good counterparts. Of course, it goes without saying that there is a strong majority of portals leading through the Negative Astral Plane in the region of Quehalost – although there are a very rare few leading through the Positive Astral Plane from Quehalost. Likewise, there is significant larger percentage of portals leading through the Positive Astral Plane than through the Negative Astral Plane in the Kingdom of Barghost – although there are a few that can be found which lead through the Negative Astral Plane. Essentially, this means that besides having their own troubles of inter-kingdom relations to worry about, the residents of the Material Plane also find themselves living in a place of divinely scaled battle. The deities of evil have no shame in sending their minions through to conquest and destroy the residents of the Material Plane. The deities of good prefer to take a much more subtle presence in the world. [/QUOTE]
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