Rethinking the Upper Planes - Part 6 - Arborea’s: The Eternal Games​

1. The Olympian-Elven Conflict

• The Olympians (Greek Pantheon and their followers) and the Elves (Corellon’s Seldarine and their kin) are in constant competition, but this isn’t an endless blood feud—it’s a high-stakes rivalry filled with dramatic gestures, larger-than-life personalities, and bursts of actual conflict that burn bright but often resolve in epic duels, contests, and challenges rather than prolonged battles.
• Combat is ceremonial in many cases. Rivalries are expressed through wars of honor, poetry, trickery, and magical duels just as often as with blades.

2. The War Season & Grand Competitions

• Every Great Cycle (perhaps a celestial year), the plane shifts into a “war season,” where conflicts resume between Olympians and Elves.
• However, during truce periods, both sides compete in grand games—think a divine, multiversal version of the Olympics, mixed with fey revelry and elven dueling.
• Events Include:
  • Athletic Feats – Javelin throwing, wrestling, races across floating islands, or marathons through forests that reshape themselves as you run.
  • Magic Duels – Wizards and sorcerers engage in spellcraft duels judged for style as much as effectiveness.
  • Hunting Contests – Both sides track mythical creatures that regenerate and return to the hunt the following season.
  • Bardic Competitions – Epic storytelling, theatrical performances, and musical showdowns.
  • Political Machinations—There’s also a game of alliances and betrayals, in which cities switch sides depending on the outcomes of various challenges.

3. City-States of Personality and Chaos

• Arborea’s chaotic good nature means no single government dominates. Instead, city-states and elven domains, each with their quirks and leaders, create a constantly shifting political landscape.
• Each city-state embodies a different philosophy or cultural ideal, meaning there’s never a universal “Olympian” or “Elven” faction—allegiances shift, people defect, and alliances form over strange bonds like shared artistic visions or rivalries over a particular wine.

4. Notable Locations

• Arvantheon (Elven-Olympian Neutral Zone) – A city that hosts grand competitions and festivals. Here, elven lords and Olympian gods mingle, scheme, and sometimes even fall in love.
• The Warring Twins – Two floating citadels, one Olympian and one Elven, that orbit each other like a celestial dance. One will conquer the other every cycle, but its people retreat, rebuild, and prepare for the next cycle.
• The Everchanging Grove – A vast, enchanted forest where warriors and philosophers meet for debates and duels under the watchful gaze of fey spirits. The terrain reshapes itself to test those who enter.

5. Themes of Cross-Pollination

• Olympians vs. Elves isn't just a rivalry—it’s a relationship. While they fight and compete, they exchange culture and philosophy and even intermarry. This isn’t a war of annihilation but a celebration of their differences and their need to challenge each other.
• There are half-elven demigods, art forms inspired by traditions and even warriors trained in Olympian and Elven styles. Some city-states reject the war entirely and serve as neutral zones where scholars, traders, and bards thrive.

Adventuring in Arborea’s First Layer

1. A grand theft or prank escalates into a full-scale war-season battle.
2. A rogue city-state declares independence, and both sides want to pull it into their orbit.
3. A love affair between an Olympian champion and an elven noble causes a diplomatic crisis.
4. A legendary artifact is the prize of the next Grand Game, but factions are trying to rig the competition.
5. A faction wants to turn the war from sport into actual destruction, and heroes must stop them.

The six city-states of Glory

While city-states rise and fall, the following have been prominent for some time and have left their mark on the conflict.

1. Arvantheon – The City of Champions

"A warrior’s worth is measured in the stories sung of them."

• Role: Neutral ground where both sides host grand competitions, feasts, and political negotiations.
• Description: A sprawling amphitheater city of shining marble and living wood, built upon a floating island that drifts above the Endless Games Arena. Statues of past champions stand beside eternal trees, and the city's streets are lined with markets selling enchanted weapons, golden laurels, and divine wines.
• Influence:
  • A powerful political hub where heroes, demigods, and elven lords compete to influence the war season.
  • The city's council shifts depending on the results of the latest competitions, meaning one season’s rulers may be gladiators, and the next may be playwrights.
  • Adventurers may be drawn into arena duels, bardic battles, or political maneuvering to sway the balance of power.

2. Erythalan – The Twilight City

"Here, both gods and fey learn to love—and to betray."

• Role: A city of philosophers, lovers, and spies, where Olympian demigods and Elven nobles engage in courtly games of influence.
• Description: A city bathed in perpetual twilight, where elven towers entwined with classical Olympian architecture. Gilded bridges and crystal fountains dot the landscape, while masquerade balls and salons host schemers with honeyed words and poisoned daggers.
• Influence:
  • A hotbed of romance, espionage, and intrigue, where alliances are made in whispered conversations.
  • The city holds a truce during the war season, serving as a refuge for defectors, runaway lovers, and secret negotiations.
  • Adventurers may be asked to retrieve a stolen love letter, break up an engagement that could unite two factions, or outmaneuver a rival spy.

3. Astrapoleis – The City of Storm and Song

"The voice of a poet, the strength of a warrior—only those who possess both can rule here."

• Role: A city of warrior-poets, tempest sorcerers, and stormcallers, where battles are fought both with steel and with words.
• Description: Built upon a chain of floating isles, the city crackles with divine and fey lightning. Storm-forges, gladiatorial pits, and bardic theaters dot the landscape, where combatants must prove themselves in physical and artistic battles to hold power. The sky above constantly shifts between sunlit clarity and raging storms, reflecting the passions of its people.
• Influence:
  • It is a home for gladiators, war singers, and oracles, all of whom sway over Arborea’s conflicts.
  • Many legendary warriors and duelists train here, seeking the favor of gods and fey alike.
  • Adventurers may be drawn into epic duels, poetic contests, or a coup where a poet-prophet challenges a warrior-king.

4. Nyxalyon – The Moonlit Hunting Grounds

"The hunt is eternal, the predator and prey ever-changing."

• Role: A wilderness city of sacred hunts, where elven rangers and Olympian hunters compete to track celestial beasts.
• Description: Less of a traditional city and more of a vast, enchanted wilderness, Nyxalyon exists within a shifting dreamlike forest where its people live as nomads, stalking divine game and fabled monsters. Mystical lodges are meeting places where hunters trade stories, trophies, and contracts.
• Influence:
  • A place where power is measured in the rarity of one’s prey—only those who have slain a celestial beast may participate in governance.
  • The city is deeply tied to the cycle of the war season, as rival hunting parties often fight not for territory but for the glory of the kill.
  • Adventurers may be hired to track a legendary beast, survive a trial-by-hunt, or investigate why the spirits of the hunt have turned against the city.

5. Myrrosia – The Isle of the Ever-Bacchanal

"Drink! Dance! Love! The gods and the fey alike demand celebration!"

• Role: A chaotic revel city, home to Dionysian cults and Elven revelers, where feasting, music, and excess shape the city’s ever-changing power.
• Description: A city that is reshaped with every festival and exists in perpetual celebration. Vine-covered marble ruins serve as drinking halls, and enchanted gardens bloom overnight to provide endless food and drink. Here, chaos and revelry serve as law, and those who resist the call of celebration are exiled or enchanted into joining the feast.
• Influence:
  • Despite its debauched nature, Myrrosia wields immense cultural and magical power. Its festivals serve as sacred rituals for gods and fey alike.
  • At the height of the war season, the city hosts the Rite of Truce, where even sworn enemies must drink and dance together under supernatural compulsion.
  • Adventurers may be pulled into uncovering a cursed festival, settling a divine feud threatening to destroy the city, or retrieving a lost artifact hidden in the depths of the ever-changing revels.

6. Pyrithos – The Shifting Battlefield

"Glory is earned in the crucible of ever-changing war."

• Role: A city-state built for battle, where champions, tacticians, and warriors refine the art of war—not for conquest, but as an eternal proving ground.
• Description: Pyrithos exists on the borderlands between Olympian and Elven territory, and its landscape reshapes itself every war season to create new battlefields. One day, it may be a colossal siege city, the next a labyrinthine maze of shifting walls and hidden tunnels. Here, generals study war as an art, and warriors fight in grand tactical exercises.
• Influence:
  • Pyrithos is the ultimate proving ground, where warriors, strategists, and war-mages train under Olympian and Elven masters.
  • It is never truly conquered, as its people embrace the perpetual conflict as a test of their worth.
  • Adventurers may be sent to sabotage an opposing force, participate in a legendary battle for a city that resets every season, or retrieve a lost relic buried in the ruins of past wars.

How Adventurers Use These Cities for Influence

• Arvantheon – Win games, forge alliances.
• Erythalan – Gain secrets and manipulate factions.
• Astrapoleis – Earn prestige through combat or art.
• Nyxalyon – Prove worth in sacred hunts.
• Myrrosia – Gain divine favor through revelry.
• Pyrithos – Influence war-season tactics.

Aquallor​

Aquallor, the second layer of Arborea, is a vast, rolling ocean of warm, endless waves and scattered islands. Unlike the structured civilizations of the first layer, Aquallor is a frontier where adventurers, exiles, explorers, and warriors from Olympian and Elven cultures stake their claims. Some seek glory and dominion, others freedom and self-rule, but all are drawn by the chaotic currents that define the layer.

Here are five key colony cities and outposts—each representing different aspects of the Olympian-Elven feud, placed across Aquallor’s unique landscape:

The Cities of the Waves​

1. Thalassion – The Duelist’s Archipelago

"All disputes are settled with the blade or the trident."

• Type: A collection of floating city-ships and coral-forged arenas.
• Influence: A neutral battleground where warriors, pirates, and exiled champions test their might.
• Location: The Shifting Isles—a massive, drifting coral reef that moves with the tides, impossible to map.

Key Features:

• Home to wandering warbands, dueling schools, and arena fighters, each carving out a piece of the reef.
• Elven swordmasters test their skills against Olympian gladiators in highly ritualized fights, where honor and wagers decide fates.
• Gladiatorial matches in coral-forged arenas determine control over trade, alliances, and local resources.
• Adventurers might seek A lost champion’s blade, fight a cursed warrior trapped in eternal combat, or secure an alliance through a high-stakes duel.

2. Nyssavir – The Verdant Tidehold

"The land may have sunk, but the forest still breathes."

• Type: An enchanted floating jungle city built atop a massive drifting island of petrified trees.
• Influence: A sanctuary for Elven explorers and druids, preserving the land even in an oceanic realm.
• Location: The Sinking Verdance—a drowned continent where ancient half-submerged temples still hold fey magic.

Key Features:

• The city is a living, shifting landmass where trees float upon tangled roots, forming a semi-solid surface.
• Elven magi cultivate semi-aquatic groves and use water-walking enchantments to sustain an island that shouldn’t exist.
• Olympian mariners see it as a prize, believing that conquering it would give them control over Aquallor’s strange tides.
• Adventurers might seek An artifact deep in the submerged ruins, help defend against Olympian raiders, or survive a wild hunt that spans both land and sea.

3. Halcyon’s Wake – The City of Living Ships

"Why build an empire when you can sail one?"

• Type: A nomadic flotilla, where entire Olympian city-states exist on the backs of divine whales and leviathans.
• Influence: A mobile, ever-moving fleet nation hosting pirates, traders, and seafaring demigods.
• Location: The Evercurrent, a supernatural ocean river pulling all ships toward unknown destinations.

Key Features:

• Entire Olympian colonies are built upon the backs of titanic sea creatures, kept placid by bardic magic and divine blessings.
• They constantly raid, trade, and explore, creating temporary alliances with Elven enclaves before betraying them for sport.
• Legends speak of a Leviathan-King, growing ever more prominent, with a city upon its back that might soon become a nation.
• Adventurers might seek to sabotage an enemy city-ship, secure safe passage through the Evercurrent, or negotiate with the Leviathan King before he swallows an entire island.

4. The Hollow Pearl – The Sunken Citadel

"The deep keeps its secrets and its kings."

• Type: A submerged ruin-turned-settlement where both Olympian and Elven exiles hide from their past.
• Influence: A black market, refuge, and lost temple, where the desperate gather.
• Location: The Trench of Acheron, a bottomless abyss where forgotten gods and drowned spirits whisper.

🏛 Key Features:

• Originally a sunken temple city of an unknown god, it is now an outlaw haven where exiles, fugitives, and wayward champions hide.
• Some seek enlightenment in its depths, while others plunder its relics.
• It is ruled by an ancient Kraken oracle, who demands tribute in riddles and blood.
• Adventurers might seek A sunken Olympian relic, a ship of ghostly warriors, or a way to outwit the Kraken’s growing demands.

5. Astrionis – The Moonlit Spiral

"Here, the war is played as a game of pieces and tides."

• Type: A marble citadel built atop a colossal whirlpool, serving as a war council and sanctuary.
• Influence: A neutral meeting ground where Olympian warlords and Elven lords strategize between war seasons.
• Location: The Heart of the Maelstrom, a supernatural vortex that never entirely consumes its center.

Key Features:

• The city is built upon enchanted rings, slowly spiraling downward, always on the verge of sinking.
• The council chambers only hold influence while they remain above water—decisions must be made before they drown.
• Divine and fey creatures secretly influence the politics here, ensuring no side thoroughly "wins."
• Adventurers might seek To sabotage a rival’s council seat, steal a prophecy hidden beneath the waves, or break the cycle of war before the city is lost forever.

How These Colonies Shape the Feud

Each of these chaotic colonies reflects different aspects of Olympian-Elven rivalry in Aquallor:

• Thalassion is about personal glory and honor through dueling.
• Nyssavir is about preserving lost lands in an ever-changing world.
• Halcyon’s Wake embraces nomadic, opportunistic power.
• The Hollow Pearl shows desperation, refuge, and dark knowledge.
• Astrionis is the ever-turning war council, where war is a game of shifting tides.

Since Aquallor lacks the stability of the first layer, these outposts constantly change—alliances shift, islands vanish, and new cities rise from the deep.

Other Features​

1. The Abyssal Lanterns – Floating Beacons of Forgotten Gods

Location: Scattered across the Trench of Acheron, near The Hollow Pearl

• Massive, bioluminescent orbs drift through the deep, illuminating the ocean with ever-changing colors.
• Some whisper prophecies, others sing in dead languages, while others attract eldritch beings that lurk just out of sight.
• It is said that each lantern is a fallen god’s last memory and those who listen too closely risk being rewritten by their divine will.

Adventurer Hooks:

• Follow a Lantern’s song to uncover a long-lost temple, but risk drawing the attention of sunken horrors.
• A mad oracle hires the party to steal the light from a Lantern, believing it will restore their lost past.
• A rival adventuring crew has vanished after chasing a Lantern’s glow—do you rescue them or claim their unguarded loot?

2. The Eternal Geyser – A Waterfall in Reverse

Location: Near Astrionis, at the Heart of the Maelstrom

• A miles-wide column of water surges upward from the sea, defying gravity and launching ships, creatures, and islands into the sky.
• Fragments of other planes are believed to wash up here, leading to floating ruins and impossible treasures.
• The geyser’s source is unknown, but some say it connects to the Plane of Air, or even Olympus itself.

Adventurer Hooks:

• A marooned Elven warlord clings to a floating island above the geyser—rescue him, or leave him to his exile?
• Rumors spread that the geyser ejected a Titan’s missing weapon and now drifts somewhere in the sky.
• The geyser may be unstable—a faction wants to seal it, but another seeks to harness its power for war.

3. The Silent Wave – A Tsunami Frozen in Time

Location: Near Halcyon’s Wake, moving through the Evercurrent

• A towering tidal wave, frozen mid-crash, spanning miles like an eerie glass wall of water.
• Within it are trapped sea creatures, ancient ships in mid-sink, and even entire city fragments caught in perpetual stillness.
• The wave’s magic shifts unpredictably—sometimes, it unfreezes for moments, unleashing whatever is inside.

Adventurer Hooks:

• A lost Olympian trireme, holding an artifact of a demigod, is stuck inside—do you dare retrieve it before the wave shifts?
• A pirate warband hides inside the frozen waters, waiting for the right moment to ambush passing ships.
• A prisoner of prophecy is trapped mid-fall—freeing them could change the fate of Aquallor.

4. The Sapphire Trench – A Gateway to the Deep Realms

Location: Beyond The Hollow Pearl, leading to the deepest ocean trenches of Arborea

• A deep underwater canyon filled with blue-glowing crystals pulses with an ancient rhythm.
• Strange dreamlike visions afflict those who dive too deeply—some say they see into the past or witness other realities.
• At the bottom, rumors claim a Primordial Leviathan slumbers, waiting for a war grand enough to wake it.

Adventurer Hooks:

• A Sapphire Trench vision reveals a city-state's future downfall—but can it be prevented?
• A scholar of Nyssavir hires the party to retrieve a crystal but doesn’t mention that it might attract something from below.
• An Olympian hero vanished here, last seen plunging into the abyss—finding him could unravel a great secret.

5. The Drifting Coliseum – An Arena Between Worlds

Location: Wandering between Thalassion and Nyssavir

• A colossal, floating stadium, constantly shifting through Aquallor’s tides and appearing in new locations.
• Arena combat is eternal here—legendary warriors fight in chaotic tournaments that never truly end.
• Some fighters are trapped, bound by ancient pacts to duel for eternity, while others seek ultimate glory.

Adventurer Hooks:

• A cursed champion needs a way out of the eternal duels, but breaking their contract could doom the arena.
• A lost artifact is the grand prize of the next arena battle royale—can you win it, or steal it?
• A demigod of war has issued a challenge—who dares face them in combat for a divine favor?

How These Features Shape Adventure in Aquallor

Each of these natural wonders provides:

• Unique exploration opportunities.
• Connections to the Olympian-Elven feud (disputes over ownership, challenges, or treasures).
• Weird, mystical phenomena that fit Aquallor’s chaotic and mythic nature.
• Potential adventure hooks for all types of parties, from treasure hunters to planar scholars.

Mithardir – The Shifting Sands of Forgotten Glory​

The Third Layer of Arborea

Mithardir, also known as the Shifting White Desert, is a vast, endless expanse of blindingly pale dunes, scattered with the ruins of forgotten civilizations. It is a place of mystery, lost knowledge, and powerful relics—but also of danger, deception, and the wrath of the past.

Neither the Olympians nor the Elves fully control Mithardir, but both use it differently, seeing it as a proving ground, a graveyard of ambition, and a source of power.

How The Olympians Use Mithardir

1. The Grand Proving Grounds – Where Heroes Are Made

• To the Olympians, Mithardir is a test of will—a place where only the strong survive.
• Young demigods and champions are sent here on heroic trials to retrieve lost relics or survive mythical creatures.
• Ares, Athena, and even Hermes favor hidden training grounds within the desert where warriors undergo brutal trials.

Adventurer Hooks:

• A hero of Olympus has disappeared into the desert—was he slain, or did he find something the gods wished forgotten?
• A warrior-champion rival challenges the party to a race across the sands, with an artifact as the prize.
• Ares himself sets a test: defeat an ancient warlord entombed beneath the dunes before they awaken.

2. The Arena of Echoes – Battles of the Past, Fought Again

• Some areas of Mithardir are haunted by spectral warriors, doomed to reenact their greatest battles endlessly.
• Olympians send favored warriors here to train against the legends of the past.
• The ghosts will only acknowledge true warriors—weak challengers fade from existence.

Adventurer Hooks:

• The spirit of a long-dead Olympian warlord offers his wisdom… for a price.
• A battle from the past is replaying, but something has gone wrong, and the warriors refuse to stop fighting.
• The ghost of an elven king has invaded the Arena, turning the battlefield into an uncontrollable war zone.

How the Elves Use Mithardir

3. The Lost Courts of Myth – Fey Palaces Buried Beneath the Sands

• The Elves whisper of grand fey cities lost beneath the dunes, filled with immortal knowledge and treasures of the past.
• Some claim that Mithardir is where the oldest fey once ruled before their domains vanished from time.
• Elven scholars and adventurers dig through the sands, hoping to reclaim their ancient birthright.

Adventurer Hooks:

• A hidden fey palace has emerged, but something inside has awakened—is it a treasure or a curse?
• A rival elven faction is looting an ancient ruin, and the party must get there first to prevent catastrophe.
• An ancient fey noble, long thought dead, walks the sands again and seeks an audience with the party.

4. The Oasis of Forgotten Names – Where Memory is the Price of Power

• Somewhere in Mithardir, there is an oasis where water is knowledge itself.
• Those who drink from its waters gain visions of lost wisdom—but each sip erases something from their memory.
• The Elves see this as a spiritual test, while the Olympians treat it as a gamble of the mind.

Adventurer Hooks:

• A wise seer has vanished after drinking from the Oasis, leaving only a book of cryptic visions behind.
• A forgotten elven warlord has re-emerged, but he has no memory of his past—should he be told the truth?
• The water is drained, and the source must be protected before it vanishes forever.

Shared Uses of Mithardir – The Battleground of the Feud

While the Elves and Olympians have different reasons for exploring Mithardir, it remains a contested land, leading to:

5. The Mirage Wars – When Dreams and Reality Collide

• The plane shifts—sometimes, cities appear in the distance, but when reached, they vanish like mirages.
• Some believe these are visions of the past; others say they are pocket realms that drift between existence and oblivion.
• Olympians and Elves seek to claim these mirages, believing they hold untold secrets and divine power.

Adventurer Hooks:

• A mirage city appears, and the party has only hours to explore it before it vanishes again.
• A chaotic battle erupts between Olympian champions and elven warriors, and the party must choose a side—or stop the fight.
• A mirage lord offers the party power, but only if they help him escape his cursed city.

Conclusion – Mithardir’s Role in the Feud

• It is a contested land, neither fully controlled by the Elves nor the Olympians.
• A proving ground for warriors, philosophers, and mystics.
• A treasure trove of forgotten knowledge and a lure for adventurers.
• A battleground where neither side can truly claim victory, but both seek to shape its fate.

The Cities of the Sands​

1. Altherys – The Gilded Ruin (Elven-Favored, but Contested)

A buried city at the heart of Mithardir, revealed by shifting sands.

• Once an elven metropolis of fey-touched beauty, it is now half-buried under dunes.
• Some say it was once a realm of the Seelie Court, lost due to betrayal or misused power.
• The Olympians want it for its untapped relics, while Elves seek to reclaim it as a holy site.
• Mirages plague the area, shifting streets and buildings, making navigation nearly impossible.

Adventurer Hooks:

• A team of Elven scholars needs protection while mapping its shifting architecture.
• A ghostly ruler from Altherys' past reveals a hidden treasure vault.
• Olympians and Elves have set up camps, and the party must mediate (or manipulate) the conflict.

2. The Argent Colossus – The Fallen Champion (Olympian-Favored, but Contested)

A colossal, fallen automaton sprawled across miles of desert, its body forming a makeshift fortress.

• A massive silver automaton, supposedly built by Hephaestus himself, lies broken in the sands.
• Olympians see it as a sacred relic, and some seek to repair it.
• Elves claim it was an abomination, used to destroy a fey city now lost beneath the dunes.
• Underground tunnels formed within its hollow limbs and shattered chest house thieves, scavengers, and refugees.

Adventurer Hooks:

• A rogue cult believes the Colossus is waking, and someone must stop it.
• The automaton’s heart is missing, and finding it could change the balance of power.
• An elven assassin sneaks through the ruins, targeting a key Olympian leader.

3. The Bleeding Spire – The Duelist’s Sanctuary (Olympian & Elven Duelsite, Neutral Ground)

A massive obelisk of red stone, sacred to both Elves and Olympians.

• Duelists, champions, and warriors from both sides come here to settle grudges in single combat.
• When an honorable duel is fought, the stone “bleeds” a crimson mist.
• No armies may march here—only individual combatants may seek glory or resolve disputes.
• Mysterious judges, possibly remnants of an ancient order, enforce the laws of the Spire.

Adventurer Hooks:

• A legendary sword is embedded in the Spire, waiting for a worthy champion.
• A dishonorable duel threatens to break the sacred truce—will the party intervene?
• A mysterious warrior issues a challenge, but no one knows their true identity.

4. The Dream-Tombs of Kaelis’Shai – The City That Forgets (Elven-Favored, Hidden from Olympians)

A hidden city where visitors slowly lose their memories—yet gain wisdom.

• A city within a city, where streets seem to flow like liquid silver under moonlight.
• Memories are the currency, and knowledge fades from visitors as they remain.
• The Elves see it as a place of enlightenment, but Olympians suspect it hides terrible secrets.
• The only way to escape is to leave behind something of yourself—a memory, a skill, or even a soul.

Adventurer Hooks:

• A renowned Oracle vanished within the city—is she lost, or does she not wish to be found?
• A powerful warlord seeks to conquer Kaelis’Shai, but the city’s defenses are not of this world.
• The party awakens inside the city with no memory of how they arrived—only that something is chasing them.

5. The Sunken Forum – The Oracle’s Maw (Olympian-Favored, Guarded by Sphinxes)

A half-buried amphitheater where an ancient Oracle still speaks.

• Legends say a god’s voice still echoes here, giving cryptic prophecies.
• The sands’ part at sunrise reveals ancient rulers' forgotten debates.
• Sphinxes guard the ruins, testing visitors with riddles, trials, and visions.
• Both Olympians and Elves seek the knowledge buried within the shifting sands.

Adventurer Hooks:

• A lost prophecy about an impending catastrophe is waiting to be uncovered.
• The sphinxes have begun acting strangely, and something unnatural stirs beneath the forum.
• A rival faction tries to rig an upcoming Oracle prophecy for their gain.

6. The Glass Labyrinth of Xyphoros – The Shattered Path (True Neutral, Dangerous to All)

A massive crystal maze where time and space fracture unpredictably.

• Said to be the remains of a divine experiment gone wrong.
• Reflections whisper to travelers, offering false advice or terrible truths.
• The Elves believe it holds a lost fey artifact, while the Olympians think it’s a prison for a forgotten titan.
• Only those who navigate it correctly can escape unchanged; others will be lost forever.

Adventurer Hooks:

• For centuries, a warrior trapped in the Labyrinth offers the party a way out… for a price.
• A mirror-image doppelgänger of a party member steps out of the maze, claiming to be the real one.
• Something is hunting within the maze, but its reflection appears before it does.

Conclusion – Why These Locations Matter

Mithardir is a contested battleground, proving ground, and hidden treasure trove. The Olympians and Elves clash here over honor, ancient legacies, and forgotten power.

• Some locations are contested battlegrounds. ( Altherys, The Argent Colossus)
• Some serve as sacred neutral ground. (The Bleeding Spire, The Sunken Forum)
• Others are deadly mysteries waiting to be unraveled. (The Dream-Tombs, The Glass Labyrinth)

  #dungeonsanddragons #dnd5e #planescape #d&d 

Rethinking the Upper Planes - Part 5 - Beastlands: The Circle of Sovereignty

 

The Beastlands are ruled by an eternal concept known as the Circle of Sovereignty, symbolized by the great Lion King of Beasts. This circle represents the interconnectedness of all living things and the natural hierarchy that balances strength, cunning, wisdom, and compassion. As a central figure, the lion embodies the values of leadership, strength, and the duality of predator and protector.

The plane mirrors this hierarchy, with the Beast Lords acting as guardians, rulers, and guides for their respective domains. These Beast Lords are anthropomorphic representations of specific animal archetypes, blending the traits of their species with wisdom and power. They embody the instincts of their kind and the elevated virtues that these instincts represent.

​

Key Themes

1. Instinct Meets Wisdom: The plane celebrates raw instinct tempered by a higher wisdom. The Lion sets the tone as the King of Beasts, encouraging a balance between primal nature and enlightened leadership.
2. The Eternal Hunt: Life in the Beastlands revolves around the hunt, not for sport but as a spiritual journey—a test of survival, respect, and understanding of nature's cycles.
3. Territorial Harmony: Each Beast Lord has its domain, and the balance must be preserved. Disruptions in this balance cause chaos across the plane.

​

Significant Features of the Plane

• Twin Suns of Day and Night: The Beastlands alternate between eternal daylight (Krigala), twilight (Brux), and a deep, starry night (Karasuthra). The Lion King is said to roar daily and night into existence, signaling the cycle’s start and end.
• Domains of the Beast Lords: Each Beast Lord rules a biome or ecosystem reflecting their animal’s traits—forests for the Wolf Lord, savannas for the Lion King, wetlands for the Crocodile Lord, etc. These domains are alive and interactive, resonating with the energy of their sovereigns.
• The Court of the King of Beasts: The lion's den, a massive rock formation called Pride’s Throne, is the central seat of power. From here, disputes among Beast Lords are resolved, and the harmony of the Circle is maintained.
• Bestia Concordia: A sprawling, multi-level city blending nature and civilization, where intelligent animals and humanoids live harmoniously. This city symbolizes the coexistence of instinct and reason, offering a haven for travelers.

​

Plot Hooks

1. A Rift in the Circle: A Beast Lord’s domain has grown too powerful or chaotic, threatening the balance of the Circle of Sovereignty. The Lion King tasks the adventurers with restoring harmony.
2. The Missing Roar: The Lion King has fallen silent, throwing the Beastlands into disarray. Adventurers must uncover what has happened and restore the plane’s primal rhythm.
3. Challenge of the Pride: A usurper challenges the Lion King’s rule, seeking to impose tyranny or selfish goals on the Circle. Adventurers may intervene or be tested to prove their worth in aiding the King.
4. The Beast Lords' Hunt: The party is invited to participate in a sacred hunt, the outcome of which will decide the fate of a domain or bring insight into a cosmic mystery.

Key Figures: The Animal Lords

The Animal Lords are ascended beings, protectors of their kind, and guardians of specific biomes. Each lord has a domain that reflects their essence and archetype.

Lion King (King of Beasts)

• Domain: Pride’s Throne (savanna).
• Role: Embodiment of leadership, justice, and power. Resolves disputes among the Beast Lords and ensures the Circle of Sovereignty remains unbroken.
• Inspired By: Aesop’s “The Lion and the Mouse,” medieval tales of noble kingship.
• Challenge: The Lion King struggles with leadership and ensuring fairness when all have differing instincts and needs.

Wolf Lord

• Domain: The Moonlit Woods (dense forests).
• Role: Pack unity and survival. Represents loyalty, strategy, and the darker side of hunger.
• Inspired By: “Little Red Riding Hood,” Aesop’s “The Wolf and the Crane.”
• Challenge: The Wolf Lord faces tension between the wild instincts of their pack and the moral codes of the Circle.

Fox Lord

• Domain: The Wily Glades (shimmering, maze-like groves).
• Role: Trickster, teacher, and keeper of secrets. Tests travelers with riddles or challenges.
• Inspired By: Reynard the Fox, Aesop’s “The Fox and the Crow.”
• Challenge: Balancing cunning with compassion, as their cleverness can lead to discord.

Owl Lord

• Domain: The Perch of Eternity (tall, craggy mountains).
• Role: Wisdom, foresight, and death. A judge among the Animal Lords, often speaking for those who have passed.
• Inspired By: Aesop’s “The Owl and the Grasshopper,” medieval symbolism of the owl as wisdom and foreboding.
• Challenge: Overcoming their perception as aloof or uncaring due to their focus on the long-term.

Stag Lord

• Domain: The Verdant Vale (rolling hills and lush meadows).
• Role: Grace, purity, and protection. Represents renewal and sacrifice.
• Inspired By: Medieval hunts and the concept of the White Stag as a divine guide.
• Challenge: Protecting their lands from overzealous hunters or the greed of others.

Serpent Lord

• Domain: The Coiled Hollow (hidden caves and rivers).
• Role: Keeper of hidden truths and forbidden knowledge.
• Inspired By: Aesop’s “The Farmer and the Snake,” Biblical imagery, and medieval cautionary tales.
• Challenge: Struggling against mistrust from others despite their wisdom.

Raven Lord

• Domain: The Shadowed Cliffs (windswept coasts and high perches).
• Role: Trickery, foresight, and messengers of fate. Guides travelers between life and death.
• Inspired By Norse mythology, Aesop’s “The Crow and the Pitcher.”
• Challenge: Maintaining the balance between being seen as an omen and a guide.

Key Locations

1. Pride’s Throne
   A sprawling savanna with a central rock formation where the Lion King resides. The court gathers here to address disputes among the Animal Lords.
2. Bestia Concordia
   A vibrant city where humanoid and beast citizens live in harmony. The city is a nexus for trade, diplomacy, and exchanging wisdom.
3. The Endless Hunt
   A massive, ever-shifting forest where the sacred Hunt takes place. Those who partake must honor the prey and learn its lesson or face dire consequences.
4. The Mirror Lake
   A reflective, magical lake where travelers see visions of their true nature or future. Overseen by the Stag Lord.
5. The Howling Glade
   A clearing where the Wolf Lord’s pack gathers to sing to the moons, invoking the primal rhythms of the plane.
6. The Serpent’s Labyrinth
   Twisting tunnels and shimmering rivers filled with hidden treasures and deadly traps. The Serpent Lord challenges those who seek forbidden knowledge.
7. The Aviary Peaks
   Towering mountains filled with bird nests and aerial pathways. The Raven and Owl Lords oversee the skies and maintain the plane’s higher mysteries.

Medieval and Aesopian Tales Incorporated

• Medieval Symbolism: Each animal archetype embodies virtues and vices commonly found in medieval bestiaries and tales (e.g., the lion as noble, the fox as clever).
• Aesop’s Fables: Lessons like “slow and steady wins the race” or “beware of flattery” are woven into adventurers' stories and trials.
• Folktales: Stories of shape-shifting animals, enchanted forests, and divine creatures guide interactions with the plane.

Story Hooks

1. The Broken Pact: A Beast Lord refuses to honor the Circle of Sovereignty, and the Lion King sends adventurers to mediate or intervene.
2. The Fable Unfolds: Travelers must live through a twisted version of an Aesopian fable to prove their virtue or learn a critical lesson.
3. The Stolen Crown: The Lion King’s crown has been stolen by an unknown force, throwing the Circle into chaos. The adventurers must recover it.
4. The Endless Hunt: An adventurer has been marked as prey in the sacred Hunt. They must survive, learn, and prove their worth to the Beast Lords.
5. Harmony in Bestia Concordia: A political dispute in the city threatens the coexistence of humanoids and beasts. Adventurers must navigate the tensions to restore peace.

 #dungeonsanddragons #dnd5e #planescape #d&d  

Rethinking the Upper Planes - Part 4 - Arcadia: A Land of Perfect Order​

 

Arcadia, where "order over good" reigns supreme, is a plane that embodies the struggle of maintaining the greater good under the shadow of rigid, inflexible law. While its systems and rules are created with benevolence, the emphasis on obedience can stifle freedom, creativity, and even compassion. This unique theme makes Arcadia a fertile ground for adventure, conflict, and exploration of moral dilemmas.

The Struggle for Balance:​

Laws in Arcadia are designed to uphold the greater good, but cracks can appear in the moral fabric when the law itself becomes the focus.

The balance between the Nephilim’s lofty ideals and the reality of maintaining harmony serves as a recurring motif.

The Nephilim: Fallen Angels, Rising Apes:​

The Nephilim are towering figures, a race of bio-mechanical beings whose bodies blend celestial flesh with mechanical grafts. Continuously refining themselves with Modron parts, they believe this transformation brings them closer to perfection. These hybrids embody the tension between divine perfection and mortal imperfection, representing a unique amalgamation of flesh, metal, and celestial might.

Inspired by Pratchett’s quote about the "fallen angel and rising ape," they are a species constantly striving for enlightenment but hindered by their own rigid structure and laws.

Their use of Modron parts reflects their practical philosophy: improving themselves with mechanical precision while adhering to their sacred codes.

Eternal Striving: The Nephilim are inspired and haunted by their dual nature—part mortal, part divine. They fear falling into chaos but also dream of transcending their limitations.

Types of Nephilim​

The Nephilim in Arcadia are bio-mechanical giants, a fusion of celestial purpose and mechanical precision. Their forms and roles reflect Arcadia’s philosophy of “order over good,” with their very existence emphasizing the harmony of structure and the subjugation of individual desires to societal needs. Below is a breakdown of the major types of Nephilim and their roles within Arcadian society.

1. Archons of Accord​

Role: Leaders, Judges, and Philosophers
Appearance: Towering figures with golden metallic exoskeletons, intricate designs resembling clockwork, and glowing eyes symbolizing insight. Their voices resonate like chimes.
Function in Society:

• Governance: Archons preside over significant decisions and interpret Arcadia’s laws, ensuring harmony between its inhabitants and the divine essence of the plane.
• Judgment: They oversee the Court of Unwavering Justice, ruling on disputes and handing down absolute judgments.
• Philosophy: As keepers of Arcadia’s moral framework, they debate the balance of law and sound, though they always err on the side of law.

2. Scribes of Order​

Role: Record Keepers and Bureaucrats
Appearance: Slender, humanoid figures with elongated limbs and quill-like fingers. Glyphs and runes constantly shift across their metallic skin.
Function in Society:

• Documentation: They maintain the Eternal Codex, recording every law, precedent, and event in Arcadia’s history.
• Legal Interpreters: Scribes provide counsel on complex legal matters, often acting as intermediaries between mortals and the Archons.
• Creation of Edicts: They transcribe divine inspirations from the Loom of Harmony into new laws, ensuring the fabric of Arcadia remains intact.

3. Harmonic Wardens​

Role: Guardians and Enforcers
Appearance: Heavily armored, with a mix of organic muscle and sleek plating. Their weapons are integrated into their forms, often taking the shape of glowing blades or shields.
Function in Society:

• Protectors: They guard critical sites like the Orrery, Loom of Harmony, and Aegis Spire.
• Law Enforcement: Wardens enforce Arcadia’s strict laws with unwavering discipline, sometimes against their own moral inclinations.
• Military Force: In times of conflict, the Wardens form Arcadia’s standing army, defending the plane from external threats and internal dissent.

4. Mechanists​

Role: Engineers and Innovators
Appearance: Compact, multi-limbed Nephilim with visible Modron grafts and rotating parts. They often emit faint hums or ticking noises.
Function in Society:

• Creators: Mechanists maintain and improve the bio-mechanical aspects of Arcadia, crafting enhancements for their fellow Nephilim.
• Innovators: They work in the Mechanist’s Crucible, integrating Modron technology into Arcadian infrastructure.
• Repairers: Mechanists are responsible for fixing damage to Arcadia’s structures and inhabitants, though their work is sometimes criticized for sacrificing individuality for efficiency.

5. Vigilant Choir​

Role: Spies, Investigators, and Operatives
Appearance: Sleek and agile, with shadowed metallic plating and faintly glowing optics. Their forms are designed for stealth and precision.
Function in Society:

• Surveillance: They monitor the harmony of Arcadia, rooting out subversive elements before they can disrupt the order.
• Intervention: The Choir investigates anomalies, including moral dilemmas or rogue Nephilim.
• Espionage: Occasionally, they are sent to other planes to gather intelligence or subtly enforce Arcadia’s influence.

6. Weavers of Accord​

Role: Mystics and Visionaries
Appearance: Graceful and ethereal, with shimmering, translucent bodies infused with woven threads of light. Their arms often appear to unravel and reweave as they move.
Function in Society:

• Maintainers of the Loom: They operate the Loom of Harmony, spinning threads that dictate Arcadia’s reality and destiny.
• Interpreters of Fate: Weavers read the threads for signs of imbalance and guide the Archons accordingly.
• Spiritual Leaders mediate between Arcadia’s divine essence and its inhabitants, ensuring that even the most minor actions align with the plane’s purpose.

7. Builders of the Bastions​

Role: Laborers and Architects
Appearance: Massive, hulking forms with arms resembling construction tools. Their surfaces are rugged and utilitarian, often bearing marks of wear and repair.
Function in Society:

• Constructors: They build and maintain Arcadia’s structures, from floating islands to fortresses like the Aegis Spire.
• Terraformers: Builders sculpt Arcadia’s landscapes to maintain geometric perfection and harmony.
• Defensive Architects: They design and fortify the plane’s defenses against chaos and extraplanar threats.

8. Apostates (The Fallen Nephilim)​

Role: Outcasts and Rebels
Appearance: Twisted, broken forms that blend celestial beauty with chaotic corruption. They bear scars from their departure from Arcadia’s harmony.
Function in Society:

• Dissenters: Apostates reject the strict laws of Arcadia, believing that order should serve good rather than dominate it.
• Exiles: Most Apostates dwell in the Fractured Bastion or roam the planes, often becoming sympathetic to mortal causes.
• Catalysts for Change: Their existence challenges the rigidity of Arcadia’s order, sparking debates and moral dilemmas.

Social Structure​

Arcadian society is strictly hierarchical, with roles determined by divine mandate and enforced by the Nephilim’s unwavering adherence to law. The Archons govern, the Scribes and Weavers maintain the plane’s harmony, and the Wardens and Mechanists enforce and uphold it. Builders ensure its physical perfection, while the Vigilant Choir and Apostates represent the tension between law and freedom. Together, they form a society where the law is absolute, and every role serves the greater purpose of maintaining order—even at the expense of individual good.

Ape Law and Codes of Conduct:​

Drawing from Planet of the Apes, the Nephilim follow an ancient, immutable code. The Code might contain commandments like:

“Thou shalt not upset the harmony of the collective.”

“Order is the path to salvation; chaos the harbinger of ruin.”

“Innovation serves the law, not the self.”

These laws are often interpreted literally, even when they no longer serve their original intent.

Lawful Hierarchy:​

• Nephilim society operates like a celestial bureaucracy, with intricate rituals and roles for every individual.

The Good That Still Matters:​

• While the law is paramount, the ideal of fostering good persists. However, interpreting what is "good" under the law's framework creates dilemmas, especially when mercy or flexibility conflicts with established rules.

Key Locations in Arcadia​

Arcadia is a plane of structured beauty, vast floating islands, and meticulously cultivated landscapes, all maintained to serve the ideal of harmonious order. However, through the “order over good” filter, even its most awe-inspiring locales hide undercurrents of rigidity, control, and suppressed conflict.

1. The Celestial Orrery​

Overview: A massive, rotating mechanism that maps the multiverse’s movements with divine precision. It is said to regulate the harmony of Arcadia itself, ensuring that the plane remains in perfect balance.

Details:

• The Orrery is maintained by Nephilim Artisans, who graft themselves with intricate Modron parts to interpret its calculations.
• The Orrery occasionally predicts "discordant events," prompting swift action by Arcadian enforcers. However, interpreting these predictions often prioritizes law over mercy.

Adventure Hooks:

• A critical prediction shows a rift in Arcadia’s order, but following Orrery's prescribed solution would lead to widespread suffering.
• The Orrery has begun to act erratically after a rogue faction of Nephilim tampered with it, believing they could improve its accuracy.

2. The Codex Citadel​

Overview: A towering library-temple that holds the Eternal Codex, an evolving record of all laws, decrees, and judgments across Arcadia.

Details:

• The Codex is inscribed on infinite pages by the Scribes of Order, a monastic sect of Nephilim who transcribe new laws dictated by the plane’s essence.
• Disputes are settled here by interpreting the Codex, but rulings often favor strict adherence over nuanced justice.

Adventure Hooks:

• A mortal faction petitions the Codex Citadel to overturn an outdated law that forbids cross-planar trade, but doing so could disrupt Arcadia’s harmony.
• An ancient section of the Codex, thought lost, resurfaces. Its contents could fundamentally alter the laws of Arcadia—or reveal the Nephilim’s hidden origin.

3. The Mechanist’s Crucible​

Overview: A forge-city where Nephilim integrate Modron technology into their bodies and create bio-mechanical enhancements.

Details:

• The Crucible is overseen by Master Mechanists, who enforce strict quotas and protocols to ensure every upgrade serves Arcadia’s harmony.
• The enhancement process is physically taxing and sometimes fatal, but the Nephilim regard it as a sacred duty.

Adventure Hooks:

• A faction of mortals or rogue Nephilim discovers that the Modron enhancements are subtly altering the Nephilim’s minds, prioritizing logic over compassion.
• A malfunctioning Modron graft infects the Crucible with chaotic energy, threatening to unravel its delicate order.

4. The Unyielding Fields​

Overview: A vast, geometric expanse of golden crops and orchards maintained by Nephilim using precise mathematical methods. It is a symbol of Arcadia’s self-sufficiency and prosperity.

Details:

• The Fields are protected by Harmonic Wardens, who prevent anyone from disrupting the meticulous agricultural schedule.
• The crops grown here are infused with celestial energy, but only those deemed worthy by Arcadia’s laws may partake.

Adventure Hooks:

• A blight infects the Fields, and the Wardens refuse to allow experimental remedies, prioritizing tradition over innovation.
• Mortals caught stealing food from the Fields face a harsh trial, sparking debate over whether survival justifies breaking the law.

5. The Aegis Spire​

Overview: A fortress built to defend Arcadia from extraplanar threats. It serves as the home of the Vigilant Choir, an elite order of Nephilim enforcers.

Details:

• The Spire houses powerful celestial weapons and artifacts designed to enforce order and repel chaos.
• The Vigilant Choir operates with strict discipline, but its unwavering adherence to the law often results in collateral damage.

Adventure Hooks:

• A mortal refugee seeks asylum at the Spire, claiming they were unjustly accused of spreading chaos. The Vigilant Choir is divided on whether to offer protection or hand them over for judgment.
• An ancient weapon stored in the Spire activates unexpectedly, targeting anyone deemed “disharmonious” by its outdated criteria.

6. The Loom of Harmony​

Overview: A massive weaving apparatus suspended between floating islands is said to spin the threads of Arcadia’s reality.

Details:

• The Loom is operated by the Weavers of Accord, a mystical sect of Nephilim who claim to interpret the will of the plane itself.
• The threads occasionally fray or snap, signaling impending disruption in Arcadia’s harmony.

Adventure Hooks:

• A Weaver disappears, leaving behind a tangle of threads depicting a future rebellion.
• A mortal wizard manipulates the Loom to alter their fate, risking Arcadia's stability.

7. The Court of Unwavering Justice​

Overview: A grand amphitheater where disputes are settled and judgments are pronounced. Its rulings are final and absolute.

Details:

• Arbiters Prime, Nephilim judges who combine mechanical logic with celestial insight, presided over the Court.
• Defendants are often forced to navigate contradictory laws, as the Court values adherence to precedent over fairness.

Adventure Hooks:

• A mortal advocate argues a case that exposes a loophole in Arcadia’s laws, threatening the Court’s authority.
• The Arbiters Prime debate a case in which enforcing the law would violate Arcadia’s moral foundation, and the party is called to weigh in.

8. The Fractured Bastion​

Overview: A former Nephilim stronghold abandoned after an ideological schism. It now serves as a refuge for dissenters and exiles.

Details:

• The Bastion is a chaotic mix of fallen Nephilim, mortal settlers, and scavenged Modron technology.
• Despite its disorder, the Bastion’s inhabitants have formed their own code, which some argue is closer to true harmony.

Adventure Hooks:

• The party is sent to negotiate with the Bastion’s leaders, only to discover they have uncovered a secret about Arcadia’s origins.
• The Nephilim prepare to launch an assault on the Bastion, and the party must decide whether to defend the exiles or uphold Arcadia’s laws.

9. The Labyrinth of Concordance​

Overview: A sprawling maze of crystalline pathways tests mortals and Nephilim alike. Those who reach its center are said to gain divine insight.

Details:

• The Labyrinth changes its layout based on the moral dilemmas of its entrants, forcing them to confront their values.
• Reaching the center requires adherence to Arcadia’s laws and a willingness to question them.

Adventure Hooks:

• The party must escort a mortal petitioner through the Labyrinth to seek judgment from Arcadia’s divine essence.
• A Nephilim scholar is trapped in the Labyrinth after attempting to manipulate its trials, and the party must rescue them without breaking the Labyrinth’s rules.

These locations can serve as compelling backdrops for adventures rich with moral complexity and philosophical conflict by emphasizing Arcadia's struggle to maintain good under rigid law.

Adventure Hooks in Arcadia​

1. A Lawful Rebellion​

Hook: A faction of Nephilim, calling themselves the Rising Choir, believes that Arcadia’s laws have become too inflexible and are causing harm. They advocate for reinterpreting or amending the Code.

Potential Adventure:

• The party is drawn into this ideological conflict as mediators or enforcers of the traditionalists.
• The conflict escalates when it’s revealed that a key figure in the Rising Choir has grafted an ancient Modron processor onto themselves, granting them insight into laws older than Arcadia.

2. The Trial of Mercy​

Hook: A mortal has been brought to Arcadia for judgment after breaking a sacred law. They acted out of compassion, saving a village by defying the Nephilim’s will.

Potential Adventure:

• The party is tasked with investigating the circumstances, determining the mortal’s guilt, and deciding whether to argue for or against strict punishment.
• The trial becomes more complex when the mortal’s actions are revealed to have prevented a larger catastrophe, but they still break the law.

3. The Modron Plague​

Hook: A malfunctioning Modron hive spills into Arcadia, spreading chaotic energy and corrupting the Nephilim who use Modron parts.

Potential Adventure:

• The party must find the source of the malfunction and prevent the corruption from spreading while navigating Nephilim’s growing paranoia about foreign interference.
• The Modron hive might be sentient and unwilling to return to Mechanus, creating a moral dilemma.

4. The Golden Ratio​

Hook: The Nephilim uncover a mathematical formula they believe is the ultimate key to perfect harmony. However, implementing it causes widespread disruption.

Potential Adventure:

• The party investigates why the formula is causing harm and discovers that it was created for a vastly different cosmological system.
• To stop the chaos, the party must convince the Nephilim to abandon the formula, which would require defying their reverence for divine precision.

5. The Fallen and the Forgiven​

Hook: A Nephilim has broken the Code, voluntarily abandoned their mechanical enhancements, and embraced mortal imperfection.

Potential Adventure:

• The party is sent to apprehend the Nephilim and bring them to justice. Along the way, they learn about the personal struggles that led to their fall and must decide whether to defend or condemn them.
• The adventure takes a darker turn when the Nephilim’s rejection of order begins to disrupt Arcadia itself.

6. The Choir of Silence​

Hook: A strange, otherworldly music emanates from Arcadia’s floating islands, causing Nephilim to act erratically.

Potential Adventure:

• The music is revealed as the remnants of a celestial being trapped between Arcadia and Mechanus, begging for release.
• The party must decide whether to free the being, risking the wrath of both the Nephilim and the Modrons.

7. The Clockwork Crusade​

Hook: The Nephilim launched a crusade against a neighboring plane (e.g., the Outlands or Bytopia), claiming it violated Arcadian law.

Potential Adventure:

• The party is tasked with investigating the supposed violation, uncovering whether the Nephilim’s actions are justifiable or if they are acting out of overzealousness.
• The crusade’s goal might reveal a hidden truth about the Nephilim’s origins, which might be tied to Mechanus or a forgotten celestial rebellion.

8. The Archivist’s Revelation​

Hook: An ancient Nephilim archivist uncovers a forgotten section of the Code that could destabilize Arcadian society.

Potential Adventure:

• The party must protect the archivists and their discovery from those who would suppress it while determining the implications of the lost laws.
• The truth could be tied to the Nephilim’s creation, revealing that they were once mortals who ascended at a terrible cost.

 #dungeonsanddragons #dnd5e #planescape #d&d

Rethinking the Upper Planes - Part 3 - Elysium: Plane of Heroic Virtue​

 

 

Theme: The eternal struggle for goodness, where every inhabitant is driven by a moral compass to do what’s right—even when their interpretations of "right" differ. It's a world of daring rescues, altruistic challenges, and often hilarious misunderstandings.

Unique Element: The River Oceanus, a sentient force, ties the plane together as a physical and spiritual thread, carrying dreams, forgotten lore, and opportunities for reflection. It represents the freedom to drift and the responsibility to guide.

Overall Theming:​

Elysium embodies the heart of Neutral Good: an unwavering commitment to the greater good, personal freedom, and a call to action. This makes it a land of constant activity, where its inhabitants feel compelled to intervene whenever they perceive injustice or suffering.

1. Friendly Rivalries:
   Heroes often clash—not maliciously, but due to differing approaches to justice or misunderstandings. For example:
   • One hero wants to rebuild a village after a disaster, while another believes the village should be relocated to avoid future calamities.
   • "No, I’ll save the puppy!" is a literal argument.
2. Complications from Heroic Actions:
   Many heroic deeds lead to unintended consequences. These range from bringing back artifacts that alter the natural balance to resolving one conflict only to cause another. Heroes are celebrated but must always contend with the ramifications of their actions.
3. The Spirit of Collaboration:
   Despite disagreements, Elysium's heroes share an underlying unity. When danger looms, rivalries are set aside, and teamwork becomes paramount. This reflects the plane's core philosophy: Good above all else.

Inhabitants of Elysium​

The King of Heroes:​

A celestial figure akin to "The Tick," blending immense wisdom and comic earnestness. They embody the virtues of courage, perseverance, and humor, often leading by example while inadvertently causing chaos.

The Agathinon (Angelic Beings):​

Agathinon are celestial entities embodying the ideals of Neutral Good. They might act as mentors or allies to visiting adventurers or mediate disputes between Elysium’s heroes.

Heroic Spirits:​

Mortal heroes who achieved greatness might ascend to Elysium as eternal champions. These spirits retain their unique personalities and quirks, serving as advisors or quest-givers to visitors.

Guardinals (Virtue Embodied Heroes)​

Animal-headed celestials represent pure virtues, and guardinals are natural leaders and allies in Elysium’s constant dance of heroic rivalries and camaraderie. They take their roles seriously, often with an exaggerated flair that leads to misunderstandings and friendly competition.

Lionhearted (Courage):​

Majestic and imposing, these warriors live for dramatic entrances and last stands. They often spar with other Guardinals to keep their skills sharp, turning every challenge into a spectacle of bravery.

• Signature Quirk: They love delivering heroic speeches, even in battle—or during mundane events like helping build a bridge.
• Adventure Hook: A Lionhearted Guardinal challenges the heroes to a contest of courage, only to reveal it’s a ploy to prepare them for an imminent, far greater threat.

Foxborn (Wisdom):​

Scholars and tricksters, Foxborn revels in solving and creating problems, all in the name of fostering growth. They’re often cryptic and cheeky, dispensing riddles and half-truths while secretly orchestrating grand plans.

• Signature Quirk: They have an annoying habit of knowing exactly what will happen but refuse to share the full story until after the fact.
• Adventure Hook: A Foxborn has gone missing after setting an elaborate plan into motion. The heroes must navigate the chaos left in their wake and uncover what the Foxborn intended.

Dovekind (Peace):​

Serene mediators and healers, Dovekind, are the calming presence amidst Elysium’s chaos. They often end up playing referee to bickering heroes or taming the aftermath of ill-considered rivalries.

• Signature Quirk: They carry around oversized tea sets, offering impromptu peace talks with a side of biscuits.
• Adventure Hook: A Dovekind is caught in a moral dilemma—mediating a dispute between two heroes while trying to prevent a brewing conflict from disrupting Elysium’s balance.

Blissborn (Joyful Yet Wounded Champions)​

Mortals transformed by Elysium’s energies into beings that radiate joy and positivity. Beneath their glowing demeanor, however, they often wrestle with personal struggles or hidden sorrows. They serve as the heart of Elysium, inspiring others to embrace hope despite hardships.

• Signature Quirk: Blissborn frequently attempts over-the-top acts of kindness, sometimes with unintended consequences.
• Adventure Hook: A Blissborn is key to resolving a feud between two rival heroes. Unfortunately, they’ve lost their memory in Oceanus’s flow and require the heroes’ help to recover it—perhaps through a series of heartfelt interactions or a dramatic rescue.

River Spirits (Playful and Mysterious Guides)​

Personifications of the River Oceanus: these beings are simultaneously wise, playful, and maddeningly cryptic. They adore creating tests for heroes and rarely offer direct assistance unless amused or impressed.

• Signature Quirk: They change form constantly, appearing as water-themed animals, heroic figures, or even animated waves, depending on their mood.
• Adventure Hook: A River Spirit has been "kidnapped" by a group of overzealous Blissborn trying to host an eternal festival. The heroes must navigate the festivities to free the spirit, who may or may not appreciate the rescue.

Other Denizens (Quirky Allies and Foes)​

Agathas:​

Mystical beings of protection and light. They act stern mentors, pushing heroes to their limits in trials of virtue.

Baku:​

Dream guardians delight in eating nightmares but sometimes overstep, leaving heroes in surreal dreamscapes they must navigate.

Holly Plants:​

Sentient plants with gentle dispositions grow in places of tranquility, offering advice and occasional sass to passersby.

Adventure Hook: A grove of Holly Plants refuses to grow, claiming they’re waiting for a "real hero" to water them with “legendary courage.”

Moon Dogs:​

Celestial canines with a deep sense of justice and an almost comedic eagerness to enforce it. They love chasing down wrongdoers but often mistake harmless mischief for serious crimes.

Adventure Hook: A Moon Dog deputizes the heroes to capture a “villain” who turns out to be a Foxborn pulling a harmless prank.

Phoenixes:​

Majestic beings of renewal, these fiery creatures love dramatic rebirths and sometimes playfully fake their demise to test heroes’ reactions.

Adventure Hook: A Phoenix stages its own "kidnapping" to see which hero will rise to the occasion, only for the situation to spiral out of control when a real threat intervenes.

The Planes​

Amoria (The Pastoral Haven of Heroes):​

A picturesque land of golden meadows, tranquil groves, and villages that seem plucked from an eternal storybook. This layer is the heart of community and camaraderie, where heroes often start their journeys or return to regroup. The River Oceanus splits into gentle streams, creating hidden training grounds and scenic retreats. Here, eccentric inventors and quirky heroes work together on peaceful projects—sometimes with unexpected results.

Signature Quirk: Heroes host friendly contests to see who can best aid the community, from building homes to planting orchards.

Adventure Hook: Villagers have started falling into collective dreams, reliving a forgotten tragedy. Is the River Oceanus itself summoning them to heal an ancient wound, or is a heroic spirit trapped in the past seeking help?

Eronia (The Mountain of Heroic Trials):​

Towering peaks and roaring waterfalls define this layer. It’s a proving ground where heroic spirits test their mettle, climbing cliffs or leaping across chasms while being cheered on—or teased—by others. Oceanus crashes through the cliffs, creating natural obstacles and inspiring acts of courage. Heroes compete to overcome nature’s challenges and each other in a spirit of rivalry and growth.

Signature Quirk: Heroes frequently attempt impossible feats for no other reason than to prove they can, creating moments of hilarity and brilliance.

Adventure Hook: A phoenix has begun igniting trails across the peaks. Is it testing future heroes or warning of a more profound danger? The adventurers must engage with the fiery bird to uncover the truth—perhaps even attempting a daring race alongside it.

Belierin (The Marsh of Mysterious Echoes):​

A labyrinthine swamp where the River Oceanus slows, weaving through mist-shrouded wetlands and ancient ruins. This layer is the realm of introspection and discovery, where heroes uncover lost truths or face the consequences of past actions. River Spirits act as guides, enigmatic beings who delight in leading others astray—only to ensure they find the lesson they need.

Signature Quirk: Heroes often argue with their River Spirit guides, who provide cryptic advice or set bizarre challenges that make sense only after completion.

Adventure Hook: One of the River Spirits has stopped moving, leaving travelers stranded. The heroes must investigate the cause, which may involve resolving the spirit’s sorrow—or outsmarting it in an elaborate contest.

Thalasia (The Sea of Eternal Rest):​

An infinite, sparkling ocean scattered with vibrant islands. This is where heroic souls come for their final respite, forming small, idyllic communities or embarking on endless adventures without worrying about failure. Here, the River Oceanus mingles with the Boundless Sea, reflecting the eternal balance between striving and peace. Ships crewed by adventurous spirits sail to the horizon, seeking hidden truths or enjoying the journey.

Signature Quirk: The inhabitants treat rest as a heroic act, engaging in epic relaxation contests or comically elaborate quests to find the best hammock.

Adventure Hook: A legendary lost ship, the Eternal Resolve, has been sighted drifting near Thalasia’s islands. It carries a relic tied to Elysium’s heroic legacy. Should the adventurers retrieve it, or are some secrets better left to history? And why are so many local heroes eager to join or stop them?

Unique Mechanics​

1. The Call of Oceanus:
   Time spent in Elysium can be risky, as one may lose oneself to its serenity. Characters must pass periodic Wisdom (Insight) checks to resist becoming part of the plane and forgetting their worldly goals.
2. Gifts of Contentment:
   Performing selfless acts in Elysium grants temporary boons:
   • Advantage on Charisma-based checks.
   • Resistance to psychic damage.
3. Echoes of the River:
   Oceanus can carry messages or lost items to the heroes but requires a token of sacrifice or an answer to a riddle.

Key Plot Hooks​

1. The Forgotten Currents of Oceanus​

Hook: The River Oceanus is more than a waterway; it is a living archive of forgotten truths, cosmic mysteries, and mortal dreams. A crucial fragment—an ancient celestial promise, a mortal’s desperate plea, or a lost Guardian’s oath—has vanished into its depths.
Adventure:

• The party embarks on a quest through Oceanus’s shifting currents, encountering playful river spirits, enigmatic Blissborn guides, and whirlpools manifesting from their unresolved doubts.
• Rivals, perhaps outsiders who twist Elysium’s ideals, seek the same fragment, testing the party’s commitment to the plane's virtues.

2. The Cracks in Bliss​

Hook: A Blissborn, a mortal transfigured by Elysium’s joy, begins to falter, plagued by haunting visions of their past life or forewarnings of an unfolding tragedy.
Adventure:

• The party helps the Blissborn reconcile their idyllic peace with lingering pain, traversing Elysium and the mortal world to uncover hidden truths.
• Their visions may herald an existential threat to Elysium, drawing the party into a race against time to preserve harmony.

3. A Rift Among the Guardinals​

Hook: Elysium’s stalwart protectors, the Guardinals, are divided. At odds over how far altruism and intervention should extend, they hesitate as a mortal village calls for aid against fiendish incursions.
Adventure:

• The party must mediate, demonstrating the value of unity by exemplifying the virtues of courage, wisdom, and peace.
• The debate’s underlying cause may stem from a malicious force—a rogue Blissborn or corrupted artifact stirring doubt among the celestials.

4. Discord on Belierin’s Isles​

Hook: Belierin, Elysium’s marshy expanse, is home to diverse island cultures and celestials. A delicate peace crumbles as scarce resources, planar storms, or interloping fiends incite discord.
Adventure:

• The party navigates the labyrinthine marshes and brokers peace among the islanders, uncovering hidden agendas or ecological disturbances.
• Challenges include battling planar predators, quelling islander unrest, and outmaneuvering Abyssal agents preying on the chaos.

5. The Missing Phoenix of Thalasia​

Hook: A phoenix native to Elysium’s crystalline waters has disappeared, upsetting the balance of light and renewal.
Adventure:

• Tasked with finding the phoenix, the party explores Thalasia’s breathtaking oceanic sanctuaries, diving into its depths and braving its radiant storms.
• They face poachers, celestial creatures guarding sacred waters, and a prophecy that challenges their understanding of sacrifice and destiny.

6. The Taint in Oceanus​

Hook: Oceanus, Elysium’s life-giving river, suffers a mysterious blight. Its once-pristine waters stagnate, spreading unease among the celestials.
Adventure:

• The party follows the corruption upstream, confronting fiendish polluters, rogue Guardinals, or ancient grudges woven into the river’s flow.
• Cleansing the taint demands moral choices—destroying an artifact of immense power or challenging the ambitions of a celestial who has lost their way.

7. Lost Pilgrims of Eronia​

Hook: Mortal pilgrims seeking enlightenment in Elysium have vanished along Oceanus’s banks or Eronia’s mountainous trails.
Adventure:

• The party’s rescue mission leads them through cascading waterfalls, hidden glades, and perilous peaks, where the beauty of Elysium hides dangers both natural and divine.
• Pilgrims may be ensnared by Blissborn seeking companionship, enthralled by malevolent forces, or lost in the overwhelming wonder of Elysium itself.

8. The Fragility of Perfection​

Hook: A mortal has stolen a fragment of Elysium’s essence—a starseed, celestial feather, or shard of radiant light—to end suffering in their homeland. However, their theft destabilizes Elysium’s harmony.
Adventure:

• Retrieving the fragment thrusts the party into a moral dilemma. Should they return it, knowing the cost to the mortal realm, or defend its use despite Elysium’s disquiet?
• They face opposition from celestials guarding the artifact’s sanctity and the thief’s allies, who are desperate to save their world.

9. The Celestial Key​

Hook: A legendary artifact, hidden deep within Elysium, is said to unlock the sanctum of Thalasia, where untold celestial secrets lie dormant.
Adventure:

• The party competes with planar rivals, including treasure-seeking Blissborn and scheming fiends, to locate the artifact.
• Gaining the key requires trials of virtue and teamwork, testing their courage, wisdom, and harmony with Elysium’s ideals.

10. A Shadow Over Elysium​

Hook: A region of Elysium begins to show traits of the Lower Planes, from twisted landscapes to despairing celestials. The cause remains unknown.
Adventure:

• The party investigates, uncovering a fallen celestial’s anguish, a breach in planar boundaries, or a fiendish ploy to corrupt Elysium.
• Restoring harmony may involve battling fiendish invaders, healing celestial wounds, or making the ultimate sacrifice that reaffirms the plane's ideals.

 

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