Problem with Astral Plane = Backstage

[Zhaleskra]

Probably earlier than 2nd edition too.

Anyway, as a Planescape fan, I have no problem with the idea of the Astral being the Multiverse's backstage. What I object to, as an on/off theater person, is the idea that "no one's supposed to go there". Yes, people are supposed to be backstage, that's one of the points of a backstage. They change the props, the actors switch, that sort of thing.

I guess whoever wrote that line knows very little about theater.

 

[gamerprinter]

Back in 2e and early 3x when I was using planar travel as a frequent theme for my games, a lot of our time was spent on the Astral Plane as a place to travel between the planes. We almost treated it as outer space (which it kind of represents).

 

[Ranes]

I can't speak to 2e in particular, because I spent so little time playing it, but I'm surprised at this. Like [MENTION=50895]gamerprinter[/MENTION], my (3e, admittedly) games have often featured adventuring on the Astral Plane. You could use this to your advantage though. If players who prefer pre-3e D&D are unused to spending game time on the Astral Plane, because of that game's inbuilt assumption that it's backstage, you have more freedom (in the sense of less player expectation) to do with it what you want. I'd take that assumption you refer to and make it an invitation. Have fun!

 

[Zhaleskra]

It's not calling it backstage I have a problem with, it's "nobody's supposed to go there". Of course PS was a mind screw of its own with "different sizes of infinity": infinitely large planes touching other infinitely large planes, in a larger infinitely large multiverse. If you think of the characters as the "on stage" actors, then yes, they shouldn't be backstage. I did sort of like how you don't have physical ability scores at all on the Astral, according to one PS source.

On another subject, the Astral is more space-like than Wildspace.

 

[gamerprinter]

Aside from never actually hearing the term "backstage" used of the Astal Plane, I can honestly say, of all the planes that are not the prime material, the place I've spent most of my time was in the Astral Plane. It is the countryside between the planes of existence. Except for direct portals between planes, if you're traveling the planes, you cannot avoid the Astal Plane. I just cannot see the Astral Plane as being somewhere nobodies supposed to go. I'll agree its largely empty, yes. I don't know who came up with this idea that nobody goes there, but it has never been true of my games, whether its me running it or somebody else.

 

[The_Vanguard]

The dark is that you, being a theater person, are actually prone to understand that less than the average guy. See, all those bashers running around the great wheel, they're supposed to be the audience. It's their part to watch the show the powers put up for them, maybe say a line or two if someone calls for them to do it. But they're not supposed to see how things really are. Deus ex machina ring a bell? Don't mind the wires, please. There's powers out there who want you to believe that her serenity is a bunch of gnomes in a fancy dress. Seeing Aoskars' skewered corpse certainly puts a damper on this. Dead gods in general - that's not something a mortal should see. And all these nasty questions about mind and matter the Astral will stir within you. Are all outer planes just a figment of our psyche? No cutter, questions as these are best left to the Xaositects. When on the Astral, please move along. There's nothing to see here.

 

[Zhaleskra]

You sirrah, amuse me. Gnomes? Adle-coved! If she's a collection of smaller beings, they are clearly cranium rats.

Ah, but where do the high ups go to meet the stars?