D&D 5E WotC Shares Theros Table of Contents

WotC has shared the table of contents of Mythic Odysseys of Theros. Well, part of it, at least.

Update -- thanks to "obscureReviewer" on Twitter, here's a fuller image!

 

[Maxperson]

What's the plane of mirrors? Sounds cool.
(I haven't played any previous editions of D&D, so I don't know about most of the content in previous books in the previous editions.)

There's more to it than this, but this is the gist.

"The Plane of Mirrors is a variant Transitive Plane—or more accurately a collection of Transitive Planes—that exists in the space behind reflective surfaces. The theory that a mirror reflects based upon light striking it is wrong; mirrors hold their own magic and allow characters to view a reality that exists alongside the one they know. With the proper spell, a traveler can turn this window into a door and move into the space between the mirrors, a place of power and danger.

Once through the mirror into the space behind it, the traveler finds himself in a long corridor leading to the right and left. Behind him, the Material Plane is clearly visible through the mirror, though others on the Material Plane see nothing in the mirror but their own reflections. Moving through the corridors, the traveler sees other windows: the backs of other mirrors on other planes.

There are usually 5d4 other mirrors connected to a single Plane of Mirrors, and they can connect anywhere: Inner Planes, Outer Planes, Alternate Material Planes, or even different locations on the same Material Plane. The stone-and-mortar corridor that connects the mirrors winds and curves. Travelers usually find a new mirror every 2d6×20 feet. The Plane of Mirrors is a secret plane, unknown to most inhabitants of the Material Plane it borders. The only visitors to the Plane of Mirrors are those seeking secrets or passage into other regions. Its existence may allow individuals to breach areas otherwise inaccessible because of lack of connection to the Astral Plane."

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

What's the plane of mirrors? Sounds cool.
(I haven't played any previous editions of D&D, so I don't know about most of the content in previous books in the previous editions.)

I don't think the 5E uses the "transitive plane" terminology, which is a shame. The 3E Manual of the Planes spent a lot of energy on helping people build their own planes, so they broke down how each plane worked, including giving it a type. (Very much a 3E product, in other words.)

Transitive planes are ones that connect two planes together, with the Ethereal and Astral being the most famous. The Plane of Mirrors works through portals -- mirrors -- and leads to a plane that looks like long corridors, themselves filled with mirrors. It's also inhabited by the hostile mirror images of anyone who enters the plane.

So the plane is a lot like the Wood Between Worlds in the Narnia books or the Neitherlands in the Magicians novels (and TV show).

In 3E, they also supported the Plane of Mirrors with three or so monsters in later Monster Manual volumes (the Fiend Folio and maybe one more book). That had made me think it was destined to make a leap to a core part of the cosmology, but when 4E and 5E arrived without it, I was pretty disappointed.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I've read a book with an idea similar to that. It must have been inspired. It's the Brandon Mull series of "Candy Shop Wars" that has basically that exact same thing, where they can enter mirrors and travel to different mirrors in this "mirrorrealm"

 

[Parmandur]

Why would they name it Planescape? 5e books have more flavorful titles than that.

Sword Coast Adventurers Guide
Guildmasters Guide to Ravnica
Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Explorer's Guide to Wildemount
Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Pretty clear pattern, n'cest pas?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The Plane of Mirrors is a secret plane, unknown to most inhabitants of the Material Plane it borders. The only visitors to the Plane of Mirrors are those seeking secrets or passage into other regions. Its existence may allow individuals to breach areas otherwise inaccessible because of lack of connection to the Astral Plane.

Fourteen years on, the player characters in my campaign (and the players behind them) have still never asked why the local wizard-ruler and his court have all their mirrors covered, sometimes behind locked shutters.

Players: You can lead a horse to water, but SQUIRREL!

 

[SkidAce]

Demons and Devils are a key part of planescape.

I can have demons and devils in my campaign without planescape.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I've read a book with an idea similar to that. It must have been inspired. It's the Brandon Mull series of "Candy Shop Wars" that has basically that exact same thing, where they can enter mirrors and travel to different mirrors in this "mirrorrealm"

I think it's Narnian influence. If you want to do the Wood Between Worlds, but without getting a call from the Lewis estate, you move sideways into similar options, like Grossman did in the Magicians novels. Mirrors are even more gameable than random pools of water in the woods (or fountains in plazas) since they're more commonly sprinkled around adventuring environments.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Sword Coast Adventurers Guide
Guildmasters Guide to Ravnica
Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Explorer's Guide to Wildemount
Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Pretty clear pattern, n'cest pas?

Those are all settings. Planescape isn't a true setting. If it contains a lot of player options, I doubt it'd be called Planescape. (What's the difference between planescape and a manual of the planes? Is there one?)

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I can have demons and devils in my campaign without planescape.

Don't they normally come from an outer plane?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Planescape was largely about the groups based on Sigil and their literal and philosophical struggles against one another. I think that's what really differentiates it between that and standard D&D planar settings. At the time, it also was novel for allowing low level planar play, although that's a core element of the game since 4E.