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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 3676410" data-attributes="member: 2012">What are Ascendant / Descendant Planes?ASCENDANT / DESCENDANT PLANESIn the Mirrored Cosmology, their is always a flip side to every view point. This is true for the entire cosmology. Thus, planes that are strickly lawful neutral or chaotic neutral mirror each other but don't mirror the concept of good vs. evil. However, in the Mirrored Cosmology, the Outer Planes are physically divided by this concept.The Upper Planes exist above Sigil, while the Lower Planes exist below Sigil. which still sits in the center of the Outer Planes. So, how do I handle planes such as Limbo and Mechanus, not to mention the Outlands? Where do they go?The answer was simpler than I thought. They exist on both sides of that cosmic coin.When visiting the Upper Planes, it is possible to reach Mechanus and/or Limbo's portal towns just by walking the upper ring. But at the same time, you can also reach them by walking the lower ring. Those two planes are both ascendant and descendant. They are both influenced by good and by evil, and, thus, have a unique place in the cosmos. (Deluer and Ouno are also like this.)For the Outlands, things are a bit different. There isn't one plane known as the Outlands, instead there are two. The Upper Outlands lead to the Upper Planes, while the Lower Outlands lead to the Lower Planes. (I'd like to have better names for them, but at this point "Upper" and "Lower" will have to do.)(The Hinterlands are like this too, but the effect isn't as pronounced.)Note that the portal towns for Deluer, Limbo, Mechanus, and Ouno exist on both the Upper and Lower Outlands, which confuses the Nine Hells out of Primes (and planewalkers from other realities). There aren't 8 portal towns for these planes, only 4. They are the same towns, although a traveler would feel like he's stepped into a mirrored community, as a ascendant / descendant portal town "feels" different depending on which side of the cosmos you are on.On the Ascendant side, everything seems brighter and more peaceful. On the Desendant side, the portal town seems darker and on edge. But it's the same town with the same people. Only the traveler has changed, due to the power of good vs. evil.Anyone have a headache, yet?  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" /> Note that this "feeling" is also true for the Ascendant / Descendant Planes, depending on how you arrived on the plane. If you arrive on Limbo from the Ascendant side, then everywhere you go, things seem to be more vibrant and alive -- more positive. If you come from the other side, then beware slaadi bearing gifts. Perception more than belief rules the Mirrored Cosmology. Belief is important, but it tend to become skewed.No where else is this more noticable than on the Spire of the Outlands. Called the Spirelands, for short, it exists on both sides of the cosmos as well, and it is VERY different from the Spire in the Core D&D Cosmology. The spire is plane unto itself, and is considered true neutral. Magic is not impeded the closer you get to the spire. The spire is a transitive plane from the Upper Outlands to the Lower Outlands. Note: You can't physically get to Sigil by walking the Spire, but you can fly from the Spire to Sigil, if the Lord of Sigil is willing to allow you passage.  (More on that later.)Note: Sigil is never considered Ascendant or Descendant, but it is different in this cosmology.At the very center of the Outer Planes, or what planewalkers call the Center of Everywhere, is a gateway from the Ascendant side of the Spirelands to the Descendant side. This gateway isn't a physical gate (well, sort of), just a "feeling" one gets when you cross over.Just before the center, if a person looks up then they will see Sigil above and in front of them. If the person looks behind them, then they see the lands of the Spire stretching out before them with the lands of the Upper Outlands in the distance, with a radiant light everywhere.During this walk, the person has the feeling that they are walking "DOWN" towards Sigil. In front of them is only what can be described a mirror image of where the traveler has just come from, but darker. In this mirror, the traveler actually sees himself approaching from the other side, a much darker version of himself. Almost like someone was holding up a mirror to his soul.To physically pass through to the other side, one must walk through the mirror. (Think Alice in Wonderland, except the mirror has no frame and extends as far as the eye can see, and beyond.)Once on the other side, everything flips. You still feel like you're walking down, but it's a down that makes you nervous, unless you heart is black. The Center of Everything is now behind you, and Sigil now seems to be more above and behind you. The more troubling lands of the Spire stretch out in front of you with the lands of the Lower Outlands in the distance, with a fiery light everywhere. If you look at your reflection in the mirror, behind you, you see a more bright and cheerful version of yourself staring back.It's very surreal.Well, in a nutshell, that's what i mean by Ascendant and Descendant for this cosmology. Let the questions a mental mayham begin!!!</blockquote>

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