Rethinking the Upper Planes - Part 2 - Bytopia

 

My idea is that Bytopia is the immature cousin of Mount Celestia, and it mainly goes with the idea that the main hosts would reflect the duality of the planes. Basically, it's a more divine and good two-face, which is why I went for playing cards. However, willing to change with something that makes sense with the theme.​

Bytopia Reimagined: The Plane of Games and Play​

Bytopia, the plane of duality and harmony, becomes an imaginative, whimsical, and slightly dangerous realm inspired by the themes of Babes in Toyland, Alice in Wonderland, and the Island of Misfit Toys. It remains a plane of goodness, but adding games, toys, and a constant interplay of risk and reward gives it a unique identity.

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Key Themes and Concepts​

1. The Great Game
   • At the heart of Bytopia lies an eternal game, a chess match between the rulers of the two layers: Dothion, the land of pastoral harmony, and Shurrock, the realm of rugged industry.
   • The game is not merely symbolic but actively shapes the plane. Moves in the game alter the terrain, influence the behavior of its inhabitants, and set challenges for visitors.
   • The two rulers are humanoid playing cards: the Queen of Hearts (Dothion) and the Black King (Shurrock), representing the duality of creation and destruction, peace and competition.
2. Humanoid Playing Cards
   • The plane's primary inhabitants are anthropomorphic playing cards.  They are the Cardinalians. As a lawful species, their Legendary actions are determined by the spread of troops.
   • Cards from red suits embody ideals of harmony, growth, and cooperation, primarily found in Dothion.
   • Cards from black suits focus on ingenuity, resilience, and risk-taking, which is prevalent in Shurrock.
   • Despite their alignment with good, individual cards can be cunning, mischievous, or even dangerous, adding complexity to interactions.
3. Killer Toys and Misfits
   • Bytopia is a plane of craftsmanship where discarded ideas, broken creations, and forgotten games come to life.
   • Dothion: Toys are whimsical and welcoming, offering puzzles and games to visitors, though failure may result in harmless pranks or delays.
   • Shurrock: Toys are more menacing—killer dolls, clockwork beasts, and perilous mazes of moving gears challenge the unworthy.
4. The Plane of Games
   • Every activity in Bytopia is a game, from farming to crafting to combat. Success often depends on understanding the rules and playing skillfully.
   • The plane's "rules" are fluid, shifting based on the current state of the Great Game. Adventurers must adapt or risk falling into traps—both literal and metaphorical.

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Key Locations​

1. The Grand Chessboard
   • A vast, shifting landscape resembling a chessboard where the two rulers make their moves. Pieces are living constructs, and battles on the board influence the broader plane.
   • Visitors may find themselves conscripted as pieces in this celestial game, tasked with fulfilling roles such as knights, rooks, or pawns in dangerous encounters.
2. The Toymaker’s Workshop (Dothion)
   • A sprawling, colorful workshop filled with crafting tools, giggling clockwork helpers, and shelves lined with toys of every kind.
   • Pilgrims come to create their own "game pieces" to aid their journey through the plane. However, mistakes in the crafting process can lead to mischievous or defective creations.
3. The Scrap Fields (Shurrock)
   • Endless piles of discarded creations and failed experiments litter the industrial expanse.
   • The fields are inhabited by "misfit toys," some longing for purpose, others corrupted and dangerous.
   • Adventurers may find rare treasures here but risk encountering vengeful or warped constructs.

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Encounters and Adventures​

1. The Stolen Piece
   • A critical piece of the Great Game has been stolen by a rogue card (a Joker), throwing the balance between the layers into chaos.
   • To recover the piece before the plane tears itself apart, the party must navigate both layers, solve puzzles, and outwit the Joker.
2. The Knight’s Challenge
   • One of the rulers offers the party a role as knights on their chessboard. Success means rewards; failure means becoming permanent "pieces."
   • The challenge involves navigating a chess-like battlefield with enemies and obstacles that mirrored chess moves.
3. The Island of Misfit Toys
   • An isolated area of Dothion is where sentient toys that feel abandoned or broken gather.
   • A hostile incursion from Shurrock threatens the island, and the party must unite the misfits and lead them to defend their home.

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Thematic Tone​

Bytopia becomes a whimsical but perilous realm of games and craftsmanship where goodness manifests through creativity, challenge, and play. It’s a plane where heroes are tested—not through battle alone, but through cleverness, adaptability, and the willingness to engage with the whimsical and the strange.

The duality of harmony and industriousness persists, but now it’s filtered through the lens of toys, games, and the ever-present thrill of risk and reward.

 

 

#dungeonsanddragons #dnd5e #planescape #d&d