D&D General Piecing together the official maps of the Mortal World of Nerath

[Paul Farquhar]

The Shadowfell and Feywild both have an additional dimension to the material plane. One might call it "deeper in". Areas adjacent to the material plane mimic it geographically, but as you move through the plane, no matter in what direction you think you are moving in, the geography becomes increasingly divergent, until it bears no resemblance whatsoever. Thus, attempts to map those planes by beings accustomed to only three dimensions can only be meaningful on a very localised scale.

Some scholars argue that "deeper in" replaces "Time" in the material plane, so it is impossible to effect any permanent change in either of these planes.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

But all of this would mean the planet is extremely small!

The Mortal map is roughly 1300 miles north to south. If the equator runs thru the center, it is probably say 60° to -60°, or about 120 degrees. In other words, 10 degrees is about 11 miles, ... or about one sixth the size of earth.

We would clearly not be looking at a "normal" planet. It would be smaller than the reallife moon.

The Earth's Moon is pretty big as moons go. There is no reason a planet shouldn't be that size, other than having sufficient mass to create a 1g field at the surface. But even if we assume that normal laws of Physics apply in a fantasy universe, that just means in needs to be very dense. Mercury is a similar size to Earth's Moon, but has 0.38g (very similar to Mars) because of it's high density.

 

[Dungeonosophy]

In the planes map.

Shadowfell and Mortal have two points of contact: Gloomwrought and Letherna.

Ah you’re right—it was getting late and I rushed. Luckily Letherna is located in the “right” place. all I’ll need to do is rotate the Shadowfell globe slightly so those two points on each world form parallel lines.

 

[Zeromaru X]

If the equator runs thru the center of the map, the north hemisphere looks colder and the south one warmer, but maybe the north is winter, and the south is summer and later in the year the temperatures would reverse.

Something to take into account here is that much of the "Desert of Desolation" in Conquest map was artificially created by using epic spells during the Arkhosian-Turathi war. Meaning that the existence of deserts in the southwestern part of the world doesn't necessarily dictate the climate of the rest of the southern side of the world.

 

[Zeromaru X]

The Earth's Moon is pretty big as moons go. There is no reason a planet shouldn't be that size, other than having sufficient mass to create a 1g field at the surface. But even if we assume that normal laws of Physics apply in a fantasy universe, that just means in needs to be very dense. Mercury is a similar size to Earth's Moon, but has 0.38g (very similar to Mars) because of it's high density.

Well, the Underdark may factor into this? Remember D&D worlds are hollow worlds. However, in the Nerath world there is something in the deepest parts of the Underdark that literally distorts reality in such a way that sages believe is some Far Realms-thingy. Perhaps this can contribute for our gravity needs here.

 

[Yaarel]

The Shadowfell and Feywild both have an additional dimension to the material plane. One might call it "deeper in". Areas adjacent to the material plane mimic it geographically, but as you move through the plane, no matter in what direction you think you are moving in, the geography becomes increasingly divergent, until it bears no resemblance whatsoever. Thus, attempts to map those planes by beings accustomed to only three dimensions can only be meaningful on a very localised scale.

Some scholars argue that "deeper in" replaces "Time" in the material plane, so it is impossible to effect any permanent change in either of these planes.

I view the extra dimension of Fey and Shadow as psychology of individual souls, relating to life and death respectively, especially in the sense of choosing between future fates and reliving past memories, respectively.

 

[Yaarel]

Gravity is probably a big deal if the planet is smaller than the moon.

At that size, it might be more plausible to think of planet Mortal as a demiplane in the material or ethereal, rather than an actual planet. Compare Sigil.

Alternatively, I view gravitational force as being made out of the fifth element ether. Perhaps the interior of the planet has some kind of ethereal anomaly that intensifies the gravitational force.

 

[Zeromaru X]

Alternatively, I view gravitational force as being made out of the fifth element ether. Perhaps the interior of the planet has some kind of ethereal anomaly that intensifies the gravitational force.

Well, as I mentioned before, there is something in the deepest reaches of the Underdark that deforms reality and some sages believe it's related to the Far Realm. This can be our magical source of gravity, regardless of the planet's mass and its perfectly official.

 

[RealAlHazred]

Well, as I mentioned before, there is something in the deepest reaches of the Underdark that deforms reality and some sages believe it's related to the Far Realm. This can be our magical source of gravity, regardless of the planet's mass and its perfectly official.

I was under the impression the "thing in the deepest reaches of the Underdark" was the remnants of the Living Gate, origin of the Shardminds? I could be mistaken, it's been a long time and there was a lot of lore...

 

[Zeromaru X]

As with anything Nentir Vale, there is no single answer. It can be the Living Gate, but other sources say it can the very first abolethic colony in the universe (according to the legend, the Primordials built the Word on top of that) or whatever something it is that created the very first beholders.