The principle of four humors

A common peeve of mine is the tendency for fantasy writing to rely on real science to inform how the fantasy world works rather than on the obsolete scientific theories believed by the classical philosophers. So forget everything that you know about real world biology. This is fantasyland, where real physics take a back seat to fantasy physics!

Monster ecology needn't be constrained by reality

Many bestiaries devote word count to describing the place of fantastical creatures within the ecology of the fantasy world they live in. Commonly, they are described in ways analogous to the animals of our own reality. They eat and procreate in the fashion of real animals, sometimes with a fantastical twist. All to often, however, these monsters feel less like monsters and more like cryptids or speculative alien biology projects.

Avoiding the frustrations of taxonomies

This post isn't strictly about planar revision, but it will inform my design goals.

Since third edition rolled around monsters have been classified into a convoluted and inconsistent taxonomy. For simplicity’s sake, I will ignore all these distinctions in favor of something simple, consistent and easy to remember but which may be added onto without falling apart.

On the Omniverse and the World in Balance

As I explained in the post on alignment, the cosmology elucidated in this blog draws on the original Moorcock model of law and chaos with the world in (and of) the balance. The world as we it know it is both in the balance, fought over by the forces of law and chaos, and of the balance, for it represents the harmony of law and chaos.

For the purposes of this dissertation, the planes are arranged in a model that the 3rd edition Manual of the Planes referred to as the "omniverse" and which formed the basis of the much maligned 4th edition. Fear not, there will be alterations to make it more friendly with with my fellow Planescape and Spelljammer partisans and I will not be lumping demons and devil together or elsewhere they don't belong. However, I will not be slavishly adhering to things like the patchwork terminology resulting from D&D's long line of writers.

The world with which we are most familiar is the Natural World, the Prime Material Plane, the world in (and of) the balance. It is the typical world for adventuring, full of many different planets and civilizations. However, it is merely one of many worlds floating within the Ethereal Sea, known collectively as the Preternatural Planes. Many of these worlds resemble the Material, and it is believed some of them may be reflections of it, that the Material is a reflection of them, or both. It here that the forces of balance reside, protecting and overseeing the natural world.

"Outside" the world are the Inner Planes or Inner Sphere, in loose accordance with the Aristotelian model of the planets. The Inner Sphere is another battle ground for the forces of law and chaos. The islands of stability are the work of law, with the greatest being the Elemental Planes or Elemental Poles. Each of the Elemental Poles represents a classical element like air, fire, earth and water. That is not to say that they are featureless expanses of that element, oh no. Each of the Elemental Poles has many varied landscapes just like the planets of the Material, with skies and lands and seas that reflect their element. However, between the poles exist the Elemental Chaos, where the elements mix and take forms that don't exist under the auspices of law and may be shaped by those with strong wills. Indeed, the Elemental Chaos predates the Elemental Poles. It is the Void from which the universe sprang, Ginnungagap, Tarassein and Limbo. It is home to the races of chaos: elementals, chaosiics, proteans, ogdoad and countless others.

"Above" the Inner Sphere (insofar as that direction makes sense) are the Upper Planes, ruled by the archons (a gnostic greek term for "ruler" and from which all "-arch" and "-archy" words originate) and their legions of celestials. The archons oversee the Celestial Bureaucracy that codifies and imposes the laws of physics that make a consistent existence possible (a concept burrowed from Chinese folk mythology). The upper planes are where you find angels, axiomites and the many other servants of law and goodness. That isn't to say that law is all good, as the more moderate celestials may disagree with the excesses of law.

"Below" are the Lower Planes. This is where the worst excesses of chaos have made their abode: qlippoth, bosch, demons and the souls of the damned. But it is also home to the worst excesses of law as well. During the conflicts between the gods and the demons, the demons devised new strategies on the fly to combat their enemies. The gods were forced to defy tradition and improvise as well: they sent the lawful devils to compete with the demons. It is unclear if the devils were created for this purpose, consigned to it to prevent them from turning against their moderate fellows, or fell from grace for perceived transgressions, but such distinction matters no longer. Ironically, this makes both the temptations of evil and all changes for the better into manifestations of chaos.

Plain of Burning Coals

The Plain of Burning Coals is a vast, stony plain that serves as the agricultural center of the Plane of Fire. As the name implies, the ground is constantly smoldering, yet even so, many travelers to the plane find that this area presents somewhat fewer dangers and inconveniences than are found elsewhere on the plane, and the region is generally accepted as one of the least hostile to visitors from other planes. Though this region is still blisteringly hot, by human standards, it is much more stable than the roiling Sea of Lava or the erratic volcanoes found elsewhere on the plane, and this stability allows for a much more tranquil lifestyle, where numerous natives work and toil to feed the Efreeti empire in the Elemental Plane of Fire’s closest facsimile to idyllic, pastoral farmland. The dangerous environmental effects of the Plane of Fire are less severe here than elsewhere, and while it is still impossible for humans to live here comfortably without the aid of magic, a number of other races have flourished in this relatively comfortable region. Fire giants, dragons, demons and even some plant life find a home on this vast plain.

The Plain of Burning Coals is the major agrarian center of the Plane of Fire, and contains numerous farming communities, which are responsible for growing nearly all crops produced on the plane. Much of life here revolves around farming and the production and sale of food, from dietary staples such as firewheat to the more exotic magmelons, as well as various forms of livestock. In many ways, this region is the most similar to the material plane, as it is populated primarily by farmers, traders, and the small towns and communities that support them.

In general, life on the Plain of Burning Coals is more peaceful than elsewhere on the plane. The locals here are by and large concerned with their labors, religious devotions, and the problems of their day-to-day lives. The landscape is dominated by sprawling farms, connected by overused and poorly-maintained roads. Interspersed throughout the area are humble towns, ruled over by efreet nobles (who are typically anything but humble). Despite the copious amounts of land, these far-flung fiefdoms are not at all desirable among the efreet, who consider a position on the plains to be effective banishment from the social elite in the City of Brass.

Although the vast majority of the region is farmland, there are a few places of note to be found here. There are quite a few old azer fortresses scattered across the land, and though most are abandoned, rumors abound that the ruins hold great secrets for those intrepid enough to discover them. Besides these fortresses, and the various towns and villages, there are several landmarks that every traveler to the plane should be sure to visit: the Gilded Mosque, the Great Pyre, the Gate of Eternity, and the Everburning Forest. Of course, on the Plane of Fire, even humble farmsteads and simple trading villages can still hold great potential for adventure, especially under the watchful eye of Efreeti lords eager to exercise their authority.

--A Tourist’s Guide to: The Elemental Plane of Fire, Copyright 2013; Authors: Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Rosa Gibbons  

Sea of Fire

Without question, the most dominating feature of the Elemental Plane of Fire is the Sea of Lava, which covers nearly the entire plane. While it is an environment of nearly incomprehensible danger to non-natives, it serves as the main thoroughfare for those who call the fiery world home. Still, much like its watery counterparts, the Sea of Lava presents a number of dangers even to those who can stand its heat and traverse it frequently. There is the risk of getting lost at sea, and stormy weather can prove disastrous. Even creatures that are resistant to the scorching heat of the waves of lava may not be able to swim long enough to reach land, should their boat capsize far from shore. Like any other ocean, the Sea of Lava has a complex system of currents, and on the open ocean, waves can be tens of feet high. The fact that the waves are made of scorching hot molten rock and fire makes it vastly more dangerous than seas made of mere water, however.

Natives to the plane will tell you that, in fact, it is not just one massive ocean, but that there are several distinct seas with distinguishing features; to visitors, however, one region of endless, molten lava seems just like another, and often travelers are too busy trying to survive to appreciate much else about the boiling sea. Once beyond the view of the few islands of civilization that dot the Plane of Fire, there are many dangers that threaten those who would sail on the Sea of Lava, and many details about the sea and its inhabitants are still unknown. Even the greatest of planar travelers have never seen the bottom of the sea’s vast depths, and even those who are comfortable swimming in the molten waves fear the sea’s lurking inhabitants. Fire serpents and worse roam the waves, eager to strike at unwary travelers; few who attempt to swim any distance through the Sea of Lava reach their destination alive.

Despite its many dangers, those who want to travel from one place to another on the Plane of Fire must brave the fiery waves. In order to do so, the efreet have developed ships that can withstand the heat of the lava. These ships are often made of brass or volcanic rock, and are used almost universally for traveling about the plane. Occasionally there are those who think that it would be safer to fly above the sea to get to their destination, rather than floating through it, but the dangers of the skies are not to be underestimated: those who attempt flight will have to be prepared for the terrible firestorms which often rage across the plane, and if a creature can’t endure the heat of the lava sea, such storms spell a similar doom for him. Even if able to withstand the fires, however, travelers who adventure through the sky will find a number of other deadly threats await them: the air is often filled with choking fumes and gasses, and clouds of smoke can make even the most experienced navigator lose his way. And of course, one cannot rule out the chance that a passing dragon or other malicious flying predator might attack. When it comes down to it, most decide to trust the efreet’s ships, which have been (relatively) reliably transporting passengers for countless generations, rather than take on the uncharted dangers of the skies.

Newcomers to the Elemental Plane of Fire will soon find it painfully clear that the efreet do, in fact, strictly control maritime travel and trade. Those who wish to buy or captain a ship across the Sea of Lava can do so only with the permission of an efreet lord (something that is typically very difficult for any non-efreeti to obtain), and with the purchase of an expensive license. Attempting to bypass these laws is punishable by death. Even so, piracy and freebooting are an everyday problem in the Sea of Lava, and maritime marauders constantly threaten trade and stability. Most who travel on the Sea of Lava, however, are merchant vessels transporting heavy cargos of gems or foodstuffs to or from the City of Brass or other civilized places on the plane, or else belong to the efreet navy, which constantly patrols the region with large warships manned with elite efreeti warrior-mages, bent on ensuring the rule of efreeti law.

While the fabled City of Brass is the most prominent location on the Sea of Lava (and, perhaps, the entire plane), there are many other notable areas that travelers often wish to visit. The Pillar of Issum and the Everburning Reef are both major sites of interest in the Sea of Lava, and besides these places there are numerous islands throughout the region where one can find unique and varied creatures and cultures. Chief among these are the five great island cities, which provide a sense of civilization away from the large mainland regions of the rest of plane.

--A Tourist’s Guide to: The Elemental Plane of Fire, Copyright 2013; Authors: Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Rosa Gibbons 

Teeth of Soraak

This hellish landscape seems to be drawn from the stuff of nightmares, and many travelers to the plane doubt whether it would really be worse to spend an eternity being punished on the planes of Hell or the Abyss than it would to be forced to live in this region until the end of time. Blackened volcanic rock spires straight out of the vast Sea of Lava, like a twisted dark spine on a burning red body. Towering and broken peaks littered with caves dominate this continent-sized mountain range, and very little survives long here. Often, the peaks of the volcanoes stretch up and out of sight, shrouded in smoky clouds that hang low in the sky. Still, when a volcano erupts, one can make out the burning red glow that marks the height of the peak, even through the dense, ashy clouds. The ground is continuously split by geysers of fire or lava, and rivulets of molten rock crisscross the shattered obsidian landscape. Unsurprisingly, nothing grows in this blasted land. An oppressive air hangs over the whole region, and it is not solely due to the formidable scenery.

Named for the salamander deity Soraak, this volcanic range was once the mighty center of a salamander empire; however, the land was conquered by the efreet centuries ago, and has been under their tyrannical rule ever since. Still, centuries of dominance by the efreet have done little to quiet things down, and the salamanders are constantly rebelling and quarrelling with their masters. So far, the efreet have managed to retain control, but it is not easy, and the next great salamander rebellion always seems to be brewing. This region is far from the center of efreet power, in the City of Brass, and it is only through strong shows of military might and martial law that they have managed to keep the area from slipping out of their hands. It does not help matters much that the salamanders are a fierce and warlike race, and who chafe at the yoke of efreeti rule, and are unlikely to accept their rulership any time soon. Luckily for the efreet, the salamanders are unorganized and hampered by infighting, which has continually proven the weakness in each of their previous rebellions. Now the heart of the salamander resistance lives deep in mountain caves, where the salamander way of life is still strong, and the outlaw salamanders plot how they will free their people from efreeti rule.

Although this region is almost entirely devoid of plant life, it is still one of the most important sources of natural resources for two reasons: precious metals, and precious gems. A wide variety of metals and gems can be mined here in the volcanoes, and the salamanders and efreet fight for control of the largest mines. Another important commodity found in abundance in this region is salamander slaves. The efreet, of course, have no qualms about enslaving unruly rebels, but neither do the clannish salamanders hesitate to capture and enslave those of their brethren who hail from a different mountain or fight under a different flag. In addition to the salamander slaves, there are also more exotic slaves found here, often of a monstrous nature, which are bought and sold for high prices.

Even amid constant war and harshness, some life still flourishes in this region. Many cities of a grand and military nature exist and even thrive here. That said, few visitors are welcomed, and travelers coming to this region should be prepared to fight the elements, the salamanders, the efreet, and possibly all three at once. Those that are able to protect themselves from the region’s warring factions will find that some of the more notable sites in the region include the Cave of Embers, the Frozen Flows, and Ivarshot, the last free salamander city.

--A Tourist’s Guide to: The Elemental Plane of Fire, Copyright 2013; Authors: Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Rosa Gibbons