So I'm trying to come up with a cosmology for my campaign setting. I've got the Inner Planes handled (they're just modifications of the standard elemental and energy planes), but I want something new for the Outer Planes. So I was thinking why no have outer planes themed on the Ability Scores? Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and Beauty (because I use the seventh stat, that's how I roll).
What do you think?
That... has potential actually. Lemme see what I can come up with.
Strength: Something Greek, maybe named Olympia or something actually clever instead.
Dexterity: For some reason I'm thinking of a Puppetmaster lord for the plane, the kind of place where a single mis-step would cost someone their life
Not sure about the others, but I'll post if smoething especially cool comes to mind.
Intelligence: Vast libraymuseumcollege place.
Charisma: pretty rolling fields magnificent palaces etc etc dark manipulative side etc
Constitution: very inhospitable, only the tough can survive type of environment
Yep, +1 to a library/museum-esque Intelligence plane. For the constitution-plane, What do you think about giving it a "volcanic wasteland" feel?
Sure, some of that. All the planes would have to be fairly varied, though - some parts might be like the artic, some might be like volcanic wasteland, some might have toxic atmosphere, etc.
Okay, since I have a few bites I'll throw in the second half. Since we have all these outsiders with alignment subtypes that need homes I was thinking about having each of the Ability Planes to have satellite planes with the same theme, but each one also embodies one of the alignments other than True Neutral. So each of the Ability Planes would have 8 demiplanar moons. What do you think?
That's pretty clever.
Wisdom plane could be a massive cathedral spiral labyrinth meditative gardens thing.
So, if I'm understanding correctly the Intelligence plane would have say, one "moon" devoted to using intelligence for protecting knowledge and preserving information (Lawful Neutral) and one that would use intelligence to spread truths to the world(s), whether or not they may be ready? (Chaotic Good)
Sounds like quite the undertaking.
There are different ways you could do this:
Does a plane exemplify the ability score?
Or does the plane require inhabitants to use that ability score to survive?
Or both?
A plane of constitution might be lush and incredibly healthy, full of verdant life. Or, it could be tough and demanding, forcing its inhabitants to struggle to the limit of their fortitude to survive there.
Or it could be both. Catachan, anyone? :P
Here's what I was thinking.
The main Strength plane would be something like an endless weight room.
The Dexterity plane may be like a dancefloor.
Constitution would just be wilderness, endless wilderness.
Intelligence would be an endless college campus, with libraries, classrooms, museums, and lecture halls.
Wisdom would be a simple temple with many quiet places of contemplation.
Charisma would be a festival ground.
Beauty would be an art gallery.
There are different ways you could do this:
Does a plane exemplify the ability score?
Or does the plane require inhabitants to use that ability score to survive?
Or both?
A plane of constitution might be lush and incredibly healthy, full of verdant life. Or, it could be tough and demanding, forcing its inhabitants to struggle to the limit of their fortitude to survive there.
Or it could be both. Catachan, anyone? :P
I feel both would be best.
So, if I'm understanding correctly the Intelligence plane would have say, one "moon" devoted to using intelligence for protecting knowledge and preserving information (Lawful Neutral) and one that would use intelligence to spread truths to the world(s), whether or not they may be ready? (Chaotic Good)
Sounds like quite the undertaking.
It will be, but I've already knocked out the Campaign world, so I started on the afterlife.
Another way you could handle it is to have just one plane for each stat, but these planes are much large, and are population by the Good, Evil, Lawful, and Chaotic variations of the scores.
The Constitution plane would have Good outsiders that focus on protecting those weaker than themselves, while the Evil ones are gluttonous juggernauts that devour everything in their wake. The Lawful outsiders are focused on stasis and resisting change/maintaining order, while the Chaotic ones are the spiritual epitome of "daredevils" that do anything and everything without a second thought because hey, what can hurt them?
Well, I already have a plan for the inner planes. There are four elemental planes (air, earth, fire, water), and two energy planes (positive and negative). The the elemental planes shift into a coexistent phase every year (one year the material plane is coexistent with the plane of air, the next year it's coexistent with earth, then fire, then water, then air again), and the positive and negative energy planes alternate coexistence with the Material Plane and whichever Elemental Plane is currently in alignment.
The Outer Planes are basically a Great Wheel made out of smaller Great Wheels.
If possible to do, i would have the intelligence plane resemble an escher drawing, at least in parts. It should take intelligence just to navigate from one point to another.
Neat idea, I'll consider that when I get to Intelligence.
Right now I have basic drafts for all the Strength planes done.
Lawful Good Strength: The Keep of Valor, stronghold and training grounds for the Archon Legions.
Lawful Neutral Strength: The Fortress of True Law, a fortified factory for the production and maintenance of the Inevitables.
Lawful Evil Strength: The Citadel of Order, a city of blackened iron that plays host to the armies of Devilkind.
Neutral Good Strength: The Plains of Respite, a place to gather ones strength and allies protected by Agathions.
True Neutral Strength: The Field of Combat, neutral ground for the airing of grievances, ruled by both Aeons and Psychopomps.
Neutral Evil Strength: The Barrens of Slaughter, a blasted wasteland of the dead and dying where those still standing squabble over the spoils. Ruled by the Horseman of War.
Chaotic Good Strength: The Hills of the Righteous, a home for those who seek freedom from tyranny and to test their strength. Patrolled by Azata war parties.
Chaotic Neutral Strength: GYMNOS! A chaotic ever-changing plane of sporting arenas, sparring circles, and tests of strength where the Proteans wander.
Chaotic Evil Strength: The Gorepit, a pit of gore and viscera where only the strong survive, lorded over by the demonic hordes.
Now I'm working on Dexterity, but having issues with coming up with ideas.
The Harrow Deck is already based on 9 alignments x 6 abilities, with implicit mysticism. You might investigate that.
Dexterity is about agility and quick reflexes.
Lots of small, floating islands and naturally-growing traps would abound.
Dexterity is about agility and quick reflexes.
Lots of small, floating islands and naturally-growing traps would abound.
That's good. Thank you for the idea, I may run with that.
So here's what I got for Dexterity.
LG: The Vaults of Heaven, a labyrinthine plane of locked doors, trapped corridors, and the greatest treasures and the vilest prisoners of the Archons.
LN: The Clockmind, a massive difference engine. A plane of turning gears, coiled springs, and swinging counterweights.
LE: The Bank of Souls, contrary to its name this plane does not contain just souls. It is keeping place of all the wealth of Devilkind. It is a place designed to be a kafka-esque maze of halls so full of traps that it makes most rogues soil themselves.
NG: The Azure City, a grand city floating in an endless azure sky. It is a place of tall towers, flying buttresses, and many bridges.
TN: The Forest of Long Falls, a forest of impossibly tall trees. Natives inhabit the branches, as the floor below is laden with danger.
NE: The Caverns of Unexpected Death, a system of caves rife with loose rubble, slippery stones, and deep pits full of pointy rocks.
CG: The Grand Dance, a sylvan realm of revelry. Dancing, drinking, and games abound in the clearing and glades.
CN: The Storm, a roiling mass of chaos matter. It is a constantly changing plane of arbitrary materials.
CE: The Razor Plains, a place where even the plants are dangerous. It swarms with bestial demons enraged by constant nicks and cuts.
Again, I need help with the next one. Constitution. I'm kind of feeling a nature oriented feeling.
I like the theme of a security jail that some of these have, personally, for constitution I would give each of them a natural (as natural as an outer plane can be anyway) hazard constantly pushing outsiders to the brink of death. Perhaps an endless stormy sea, a desert with a constant sandstorm. A Heat-blasted badland, etc... Just throwing ideas out there.
I like the theme of a security jail that some of these have, personally, for constitution I would give each of them a natural (as natural as an outer plane can be anyway) hazard constantly pushing outsiders to the brink of death. Perhaps an endless stormy sea, a desert with a constant sandstorm. A Heat-blasted badland, etc... Just throwing ideas out there.
That's what I was thinking for the evil and neutral planes, but I'm feeling like I want a verdant paradise feel for the good planes.
I like the theme of a security jail that some of these have, personally, for constitution I would give each of them a natural (as natural as an outer plane can be anyway) hazard constantly pushing outsiders to the brink of death. Perhaps an endless stormy sea, a desert with a constant sandstorm. A Heat-blasted badland, etc... Just throwing ideas out there.That's what I was thinking for the evil and neutral planes, but I'm feeling like I want a verdant paradise feel for the good planes.
That would be a good idea, having the good aligned planes more "representing" rather than "demanding" of their own attribute. How about a lush, thick rainforest with endless varieties of life, and a massive mountain range for a more hardy visual? Although, the mountain range would be more of a neutral thing, if you want to have avalanches, windstorms, blizzards, etc...
That would be a good idea, having the good aligned planes more "representing" rather than "demanding" of their own attribute. How about a lush, thick rainforest with endless varieties of life, and a massive mountain range for a more hardy visual? Although, the mountain range would be more of a neutral thing, if you want to have avalanches, windstorms, blizzards, etc...I like the theme of a security jail that some of these have, personally, for constitution I would give each of them a natural (as natural as an outer plane can be anyway) hazard constantly pushing outsiders to the brink of death. Perhaps an endless stormy sea, a desert with a constant sandstorm. A Heat-blasted badland, etc... Just throwing ideas out there.That's what I was thinking for the evil and neutral planes, but I'm feeling like I want a verdant paradise feel for the good planes.
Good: If your score is high, you'll love it here.
Evil: If your stat is low, you WILL DIE.Lawful: Represents the "skill" version of a score
Chaotic: Represents the "talent" version of a score.
As for crit:
1) A lot of your Dexterity planes seem more intelligence to me. Vaults? Scrolls? Yeah, you need high Dex to break in and steal them... but does that mean these planes were designed by the gods to be stolen from? If not, then why are they the DExterity planes?
and on a related note...
2) I think you may be spreading yourself too thin trying to come up with a different idea for each of the 9 alignments. Why not have a single, distinct, flavorful plane for each of the 4 5 types (lawful, chaotic, neutral, good, evil), and write that outsiders who's alignment matches the plane on any axis and go there freely?
If you don't, I feel like either you'll end up with a lot of planes that are almost the exact same thing (Vault of Heaven + Bank of Souls) or a few good ideas and a lot of contrived ones by the time you're done.
That would be a good idea, having the good aligned planes more "representing" rather than "demanding" of their own attribute. How about a lush, thick rainforest with endless varieties of life, and a massive mountain range for a more hardy visual? Although, the mountain range would be more of a neutral thing, if you want to have avalanches, windstorms, blizzards, etc...I like the theme of a security jail that some of these have, personally, for constitution I would give each of them a natural (as natural as an outer plane can be anyway) hazard constantly pushing outsiders to the brink of death. Perhaps an endless stormy sea, a desert with a constant sandstorm. A Heat-blasted badland, etc... Just throwing ideas out there.That's what I was thinking for the evil and neutral planes, but I'm feeling like I want a verdant paradise feel for the good planes.Good: If your score is high, you'll love it here.
Evil: If your stat is low, you WILL DIE.Lawful: Represents the "skill" version of a score
Chaotic: Represents the "talent" version of a score.As for crit:
1) A lot of your Dexterity planes seem more intelligence to me. Vaults? Scrolls? Yeah, you need high Dex to break in and steal them... but does that mean these planes were designed by the gods to be stolen from? If not, then why are they the DExterity planes?
and on a related note...
2) I think you may be spreading yourself too thin trying to come up with a different idea for each of the 9 alignments. Why not have a single, distinct, flavorful plane for each of the 4 5 types (lawful, chaotic, neutral, good, evil), and write that outsiders who's alignment matches the plane on any axis and go there freely?
If you don't, I feel like either you'll end up with a lot of planes that are almost the exact same thing (Vault of Heaven + Bank of Souls) or a few good ideas and a lot of contrived ones by the time you're done.
You have a point. I must reiterate that these are just ideas. It's not set in stone yet.
EDIT: In fact I think I will give your idea a shot. Only 5 planes each, that's still 35 planes.
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Alright, I think we have a winner this time!
Okay, so changes! There are now only 5 planes per ability score, 35 in total. Additionally, all the planes of a specific ability score have a similar structure, and are connected to one another directly or indirectly via natural portals.
So here they are, without names.
Strength: an archipelago of mountainous islands. It's got a Polynesian feel. The Neutral islands are rough but reasonable, and the seas aren't unreasonably hostile. The Good islands are lush and home to strong natives and plentiful wildlife. The Evil islands are harsh, with jagged volcanic stone and frequent eruptions. The Lawful islands are entirely colonized, all the trees are in neat rows and buildings ring the coasts. The Chaotic islands are wild and untamed, with whimsical natives and intermittent volcanic eruptions.
Dexterity: A vast wilderness in every variety. The Neutral plane is wild, the creatures act as they do on the Material plane, and it's much like a wild area of the Material plane. The Good plane is a place of frolicking animals and kind frontier people, anything killed here is revived at dawn. The Evil plane is red of tooth and claw, even the prey is dangerous. The Lawful plane has very clearly distinguished borders between habitats, and its inhabitants have a set routine. The Chaotic plane is like Wonderland, the natives behave erratically and the very plane shifts around unexpectedly.
Constitution: A massive desert, warm, temperate, and cold. Sort of Bedouin nomad feel. These planes each represent a different facet of the desert. The Neutral plane represents the dunes, here nomadic natives travel between resources and will take in a weary traveler in return for a favor. The Good plane is the representation of the oasis, there is desert around and between the oases but it's fairly mild and the natives are helpful. The Evil plane is a salt flat/bleak tundra, there's little water, the days are scorching and the nights are frigid. The Lawful plane is a camp, a caravanserai of strict rules. The Chaotic plane is stretch of desert where magnetic field fluctuate and mirages are common, you will get lost.
Intelligence: Immeasurably large library. Each plane of Intelligence is a different branch of the library. The Neutral plane is the lobby and offices, many people milling about discussing various topics. The Good plane is a series of lecture halls, laboratories, as well as an extensive lending section free for anyone to browse at their leisure. The Evil plane is beneath the Lobby, here is where you find the dark secrets, forbidden knowledge, and books on every taboo subject in existence. The Lawful plane is the reference section, all the shelves are lined up in neat rows, the books organized by subject and author, and you'll need a librarian to assist you if you want to take a book off the shelf. The Chaotic plane is new acquisitions, it's an M.C. Escher print made real, and littered with books, papers, and various other forms of recording.
Wisdom: A city, pure and simple, without end. Each of these planes is a neighborhood. The Neutral neighborhood is the city center, the hub where everyone meets and mingles, there are many squares and plazas here. The Good neighborhood is upper-class, big houses with well-tended grounds. The Evil neighborhood is also upper class, but where its Good counterpart is welcoming this is not, high fences, armed guards, and cruel citizens abound. The Lawful neighborhood is the business district, here is where the work is done, laws are made, and the everyman/everywoman resides. The Chaotic neighborhood is the slums, tight quarters and haphazard construction, there are no rules here.
Charisma: A mansion and its grounds. Each of these planes is a different section of the mansion and grounds. The Neutral plane makes up the entryway and grand ball room, here is where the carousing happens in earnest. The Good plane makes up the gardens, where party goers and residents can socialize in the sun or beneath the stars, there is a sense of good spirited revelry here. The Evil plane are the cellars, here is where underhanded deals are made, vices are indulged, and general no-good is performed. The Lawful plane is the dining room and kitchens, where meals are always served on time, and eaten with proper etiquette, The Chaotic plane makes up the upper floors, a winding maze of hallways, rooms of multifarious purposes, and secret passages.
Beauty: A plane of natural beauty where everything is larger, grander, and more breathtaking than anything in the mortal world. Here each plane represents a different perspective on beauty. The Neutral plane represents beauty in its purest form, beauty for the sake of beauty, here the land is beautiful, the natives are beautiful, and beauty is appreciated in its various forms. The Good plane represent beauty as inspiration, here beauty is revered as a way to inspire goodness in the hearts of mortals, great works of art are produced here, and the beautiful natives seek to inspire goodness in others through their actions. The Evil plane represents beauty as a tool to corrupt mortals, the land is seductively beautiful in a way that tempts you into inaction, the natives inflame you with jealousy and lust, and various subversive forms of art are produced here. The Lawful plane is representative of beauty as physical perfection, symmetry is everywhere, from the rows of trees, to the bodies of the natives, to the actions of the plane itself. The Chaotic plane is beauty seen idiosyncratically, no two things look alike, but everything is still somehow beautiful, straight lines are not common here.