| Suffice it to say, I have no more
desire to include the outer planes in my world than I have to include the gods actively
adventuring with the PCs. Of course, the outer planes do exist, as well as the gods, and
they are an ever present reminder of the powers that be. When I do include them in my
campaign they are there only briefly, only in avatar form, and usually for very specific
reasons. That is, I would never bring in a god on a whim or as a random encounter. Usually
I won't even do that but will instead send a representative of the deity. At best, I include the first layers of the outer planes. For now, it
is enough to know that reaching the first layers of the outer planes may be accomplished
via the astral plane or through the so called conduits which connect them directly to the
Prime Plane.
MORE GENERAL PROPERTIES OF THE PLANES
In my campaigns I like to pretty much stay on the Prime
Material Plane. When I use the other planes of existence it is usually for the purposes of
explaining some underlying reality, or for the purpose of travel from point A to point B
on the Prime Material Plane via such planes. As such, it is true the ethereal and astral
planes frequently come into play. The inner planes may be, of course, useful for an
adventure or two every now and then. I usually have the party go there on some specific
quest. I would use the outer planes for the same purpose, but with less frequency, and
only for more powerful groups.
The plane shift spell is the favorite method of travel
between the planes. With the proper tuning forks a group can travel from the Prime Plane
directly to any of the four elemental planes or directly to the ethereal or astral planes.
Other planes may be accessed with a plane shift spell if they first get closer. That is,
to get to the para-elemental planes, quasi-elemental planes, +MP, or -MP via plane shift,
one must first either be ethereal or adjacent to said plane on another inner plane. To get
to the first layer of an outer plane using plane shift, you must first plane shift to the
astral plane where you can then travel to the proper pool or plane shift directly to the
outer plane if you have the proper tuning fork.
Other possible modes of transport exist as well. Naturally
occurring vortices or nexus points may arise on the Prime Material Plane to any of the
inner planes, to different alternate planes, or to a different location on the Material
Plane. These may be permanent, temporary, or periodic nexus points.
Permanent nexus points usually arise where there are
permanent conditions sufficient to bridge the gap between the Prime Plane in tendril space
and another plane of existence. As an example, a nexus point to the para-elemental plane
of ice may be found in the permanently frozen wastelands of the polar regions. Another
example would be a nexus to the elemental plane of fire inside the heart of an active
volcano. These are examples of sympathetic nexal points.
Temporary nexus points may arise after, or during unusual
conditions. These conditions bridge the gap between the Prime Material Plane in tendril
space and one of the other planes. For example, a hurricane may open a nexus into the
elemental plane of air or a particularly powerful bolt of lightning may open one into the
quasi-elemental plane of lightning. Such nexus points may only last long enough for a
party, which just happens to be in the vicinity, to travel through before forever closing.
Another method of returning must be used. Of course, what usually happens is something
native to such a plane takes the brief opportunity to come onto the PMP, giving any such
convenient party something to deal with.
Periodic nexus points are like permanent ones except they
don't quite bridge the gap from the Prime Material Plane to a different plane. Such places
may be found to be unusual with the aid of a detect magic or a detect invisibility spell.
It turns out the periodic motion of the orbit of the planet may open such a nexus once a
year as the point passes through the right conditions on the ethereal or astral planes.
Or, for example, perhaps every seventeen years when the planets are in the right
alignment, or even every month when Folar eclipses Septer. This periodic pattern would
depend entirely on the type of nexus point and its location.
Also, periodic nexus points have very regular durations so
you may rely on them. For example, the nexus point to the para-elemental plane of ice
which occurs every eighteen years always opens up in the same place on the surface of the
Imperial Sea and stays open for one Folar (10 days). A group of brave adventurers may sail
into the point making the transition from the relatively warm Imperial Sea to a very
chilly arctic like sea. From there, they may travel to a frozen glacial covered land where
they may find the pools of liquid nitrogen. I once sent them there to immerse Tripdarius,
a frostbrand sword, which had recently become inactive. They did this in the hopes of
reviving its lost powers.
Other typical uses of temporary nexus points might include a
gate which opens up onto the first level of hell, on the far side of Orlantia, on a
different planet in a different solar system, or even somewhere else. I have, for
example, a little known gate which opens when Septer and Folar eclipse when they are both
in full phase. This happens once a year, during the spring equinox. This gate opens up
onto the far side of Septer and stays open for one day. So what, you say? Well, all right,
so what? It's still there. |
