Closing off the Abyss.

[Joker]

For those of you who have read this thread have perhaps noticed that I have an interest in the Blood War, Fiendish domination and the Abyss in general.

Someone mentioned sealing off some of the planes from interplanar travel, effectively locking one side in the their own home and barring anyone from entering it.

My question is: Is this possible, on a non-deific scale, and if so, how would one go about sealing off the infinite planes of the abyss.

I have 20 gold left.

 

[Nightfall]

I'd say no but it's possible to seal an existing portal (on the other side) from the Abyss. Just don't see it as possible to seal the entire Abyss off from EVERYTHING.

 

[Sejs]

My question is: Is this possible, on a non-deific scale, and if so, how would one go about sealing off the infinite planes of the abyss.

Frankly, no.

Infinite planes and all. Can't get every one of 'em.

Besides, even if you did something like that, the Abyss is quite chaotic - it wouldn't cotton much to being bound and restricted. So were a grand-sealing plan of some kind to work, the Abyss would alter itself in some fundamental way such that it doesn't work now.

And then it would give you the finger and say mean things about your mother.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

My vote goes to "no" as well. Considering that there are a couple of deities that reside on the Abyss, I doubt even a wish could accomplish that feat.

That being said, if someone wanted to *try* to seal as many portals to and from the Abyss as possible, I'd say the best way would be to physically block them on the other (non-Abyss, that is, and I imagine the Prime Material) side. I don't think it would work, but it might make for interesting high-level campaign material.

 

[Shemeska]

Well, the Tanar'ri themselves have sealed off specific layers of the Abyss (for most practical purposes of travel to and from there anyway). But they're living extensions of the plane itself, so they have access to means and methods that simply might not work or be possible for others.

If the Baatezu were unable to ever do the same, to say nothing of the Archons, or Eladrin, or the entire prime material world of Ortho (when the Harmonium attempted to invade the Abyss)... it's impossible. And if they couldn't, frankly it's not a task I'd say was possible for a deity, or multiple deities.

And for sealing off individual layers, you'd still have portals from Sigil popping up, and as far as those go, sure you can break the bounded space it occupies but more will manifest randomly (or not so randomly, depends on how you define Her Serenity).

Your best bet for sealing individual layers is to conspire with an Abyssal Lord, or two, or more, and the older and more primal the better (ie the Obyriths have a deeper tie to the plane than the Tanar'ri, or they at least have been around longer to have a greater depth of knowledge about how it works and behaves). Or maybe go to an even older source and ask a Baernaloth since they were around to have seen the lower planes forming, assuming that you can find one that doesn't either kill you very slowly, or still retains the motivation to bother listening to you, and assuming you're willing to pay whatever price they ask for any applicable knowledge.

 

[catsclaw227]

What's the Blood War?



(j/k.... please don't hurt me Shemmy!)

 

[Wolfwood2]

Anything is possible if the DM says it's possible, but it would basically have to involve a plot device. "Lo, this fabled artifact from the Dawn of Creation can shut down the Abyss, yo." Or alternately, "Lo, if the planar fabric gets punctured at these ten locations around the multi-verse it will create a cascade effect that (magical babble, magical babble) and so the Abyss will be sealed forever!"

It's not something a player character can do using purely mortal magics and means without some kind of cheat.

 

[Slife]

Yes, it is technically possible. However, it requires so much cheese that nobody in could ever do it in a real game.

 

[catsclaw227]

In all seriousness, if I wanted to get some PDF on the blood war, what are the best to get (old and new).

I likely wouldn't run a planescape adventure, but would like to create a plane-hopping high level campaign that focuses on a part or unique element of the history.

 

[jefgorbach]

Cannon implies its possible, but would have to be done on an -individal- world/crystal sphere basis as with Athas and the Domains of Dread, rendering the "protected" area not only from any Abyssal threat but also -ALL- planar contact ... surely causing both Good and Evil deities to take corrective action once a certain number of worlds/spheres had been so protected to prevent further erosion of their own power, regardless of how good the Blocker's intent was.