D&D (2024) DMG Chapter Preview: James Wyatt Talks Cosmology

[Henadic Theologian]

Not sure where you're getting the idea that the Feywild is disconnected. From the 2024 DMG

The Feywild and the Shadowfell are parallel dimensions occupying the same cosmological space as the Material Plane. The landscapes of these three planes are similar, but those of the Feywild are more marvelous and whimsical, while those of the Shadowfell are more bleak and ominous. Passage between the Material Plane and these other realms is sometimes effortless, even accidental. Adventurers might enter a grove of trees on the Material Plane and suddenly find themselves in a lush, colorful forest on the Feywild or a grim wood of dead trees on the Shadowfell.​

Which again ... doesn't seem to fit. Maybe I'm just missing something but also from the 2024 DMG

Feywild Adventures​

The Feywild gives physical expression to powerful emotion and excels at metaphor. When characters venture into the Feywild, they might find themselves robbed of a cherished memory or deep regret, then later find the stolen memories embodied in little figurines or lockets. A mischievous sprite might sneak up behind a character who is laughing loudly and steal their laughter, robbing the character of the ability to laugh until the sprite is found and the laughter—perhaps taking physical form as a bouquet of lovely flowers—reclaimed.​

​

Physical objects representing emotion and metaphor seems to also lean into animism. Doesn't specifically go into what your discussing, but neither do any of the other planes.

Obviously people can have different approaches and takes, I only take the planes as a vague suggestion and one possibility myself. I just don't see the 2024 rules supporting your statements or I've lost track of the conversation.

I think ironically the Beastlands works well with animalism.

 

[SkidAce]

I always felt Mithardir needed further development, like how is Mithardir a heavenly paradise, it really doesn't fit with the rest of Arborea never mind the Upper Planes.

I do believe I read somewhere that it was the Mulhorandi Pantheon that used to dwell there, but there are also other suggestions.

Leave my Mithardir alone! (hehe).

We dont need more details causing my new players to go "Whut?, you stole the schtick for Mithardir, how derivative.

"No, I developed it, you accuser person!"

/jest

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Leave my Mithardir alone! (hehe).

We dont need more details causing my new players to go "Whut?, you stole the schtick for Mithardir, how derivative.

"No, I developed it, you accuser person!"

/jest

It just feels weird how it doesn't seem like a kind of paradise at all, like how are you going to get addicted to being in Arborea if you spent all your time in Mithardir?

What makes Mithardir a Chaotic Good paradise? It needs to be fleshed out to make sense or do something meaningful with it.

 

[SkidAce]

It just feels weird how it doesn't seem like a kind of paradise at all, like how are you going to get addicted to being in Arborea if you spent all your time in Mithardir?

What makes Mithardir a Chaotic Good paradise? It needs to be fleshed out to make sense or do something meaningful with it.

I use it as the deserted wasteland of the cosmos' 1st empire of ancients. Inevitable, Maruti, Utah, etc.

Edit: Ptah, although Utah is hilarious.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I use it as the deserted wasteland of the cosmos' 1st empire of ancients. Inevitable, Maruti, Utah, etc.

Edit: Ptah, although Utah is hilarious.

Yeah but how does that make it chaotic good paradise?

 

[SkidAce]

Yeah but how does that make it chaotic good paradise?

Followers of the Eldar may die and go there. That's all, just a mention of what I've done with it.

 

[Yaarel]

Not sure where you're getting the idea that the Feywild is disconnected. From the 2024 DMG

"The Feywild and the Shadowfell are parallel dimensions ..."​

The Fey realm isnt the SAME realm as the Material Plane. The Fey realm is a DIFFERENT realm that is "parallel" to the Material Plane.

The Fey realm is an alternate reality. An alternate history. An alternate future.

This is why the 2024 Feywild is no longer suitable for animism.

On the other hand, the Feywild becomes a method of navigating the timelines of "fate". When one fate is terrible, choose a different path to the future, whence a blessing. Or oppositely impose a worse path, whence a curse.

The name "Fey" (faie) derives from "fate" (fata), probably in the sense of Norse norn, whence related Germanic concepts, where the Franks originate as a Germanic tribe, whence the French using Latin fatum, plur. fata, as if sing. fata, "fate, a foreteller of fate".

So, this Feywild as a what-if twilight zone can makes sense.

"... occupying the same cosmological space as the Material Plane. The landscapes of these three planes are similar, but those of the Feywild are more marvelous and whimsical, while those of the Shadowfell are more bleak and ominous. Passage between the Material Plane and these other realms is sometimes effortless, even accidental. Adventurers might enter a grove of trees on the Material Plane and suddenly find themselves in a lush, colorful forest on the Feywild or a grim wood of dead trees on the Shadowfell.​

Again, the Feywild is an "other realm" "occupying the same space" as the Material Plane, displacing the Material Plane.

The Feywild doesnt "border" and "overlap" the Material Plane, in the same way that Ethereal Plane and the Wildspace do.

Which again ... doesn't seem to fit. Maybe I'm just missing something but also from the 2024 DMG

Feywild Adventures​

The Feywild gives physical expression to powerful emotion and excels at metaphor. When characters venture into the Feywild, they might find themselves robbed of a cherished memory or deep regret, then later find the stolen memories embodied in little figurines or lockets. A mischievous sprite might sneak up behind a character who is laughing loudly and steal their laughter, robbing the character of the ability to laugh until the sprite is found and the laughter—perhaps taking physical form as a bouquet of lovely flowers—reclaimed.​

​

Physical objects representing emotion and metaphor seems to also lean into animism. Doesn't specifically go into what your discussing, but neither do any of the other planes.

Animism = the rock itself is a person

That rock in the Material Plane has a mind, a soul, a spirit.

If one is no longer in the Material Plane, then animism no longer exists.

 

[Zeromaru X]

The Fey realm isnt the SAME realm as the Material Plane. The Fey realm is a DIFFERENT realm that is "parallel" to the Material Plane.

The Feywild has always been a Parallel Dimension since 4e. I don't see anything wrong with that, really.

 

[Yaarel]

The Feywild has always been a Parallel Dimension since 4e. I don't see anything wrong with that, really.

The difficulty is, by absorbing the animistic traditions of Celtic British fairyfolk, the D&D Feywild actually eliminates animistic traditions from the Material Plane − and by extension all animistic traditions.

It would be a big deal, except 2024 still has the Ethereal Plane.

In the same way that a ghost from the Shadowfell can wander the Ethereal Plane to move thru and interact with the Material, so too can a fairy spirit from Feywild wander the Ethereal Plane and influence the Material Plane.

Thus, it is easy to double down on making the 2024 Ethereal Plane the "spirit realm", the "other world", the place that exists within the Material as animistic souls influence each others activities.

This spirit realm isnt somewhere else, it is like a subtle wind that is part of the Material Plane.

Plus the affinity between elementals and animism is sound.

 

[Aldarc]

Yea, very similar to my headcanon, although in mine the Elemental Chaos is simultaneously Limbo.

It effectively was in the 4e World Axis cosmology.