Astral Plane

The Astral Plane, sometimes referred to as The Ways, abuts the Plane of Abiding and has a similar relationship to the Plane of Probability. It borders other, yet stranger planes of being, but none of these share a common border with the Plane of Abiding.

In its natural state, the Astral Plane would be just as hostile to life as the Plane of Probability is. It is a realm of thought and psychic magic, where our whim and our will shapes the landscape. Its true form is without even the concept of body, ground, light or shadow. It is without air and without the need of air. Lunar mana is one of the most powerful natural forces on the Astral Plane. Inside the plane Lunar mana is manifest energy and as deadly as fire to touch.

Moon Mages are able to travel within this plane, allowing them to cross great distances on the Plane of Abiding quickly.

Grazhir

Grazhir is, in a sense, still intact. Its magical pattern -- its essential quality -- still exists, connecting each little pebble of it in streams of mana and lines of sympathy. Somehow the shattered moon's mana is being channeled into the Astral Plane, maintaining itself as a single, holistic magical pattern.

Grazhir shards are highly prized artifacts capable of opening gateways into the Astral Plane through their connection to it. Their names are: Rolagi, Taniendar, Marendin, Dinegavren, Undarverjah, Mintais, Asharshpar'i, Emalerje, Dor'na'torna, Tamigen, Teloish, Aliaes.

Terms

Axis: Axis is the name given to the largest Grazhir shard. At the center of the microcosm and below the pillars is a source of Grazhir mana so powerful that it dominates the entire system. It is unknown where Axis lies on Elanthia.

Microcosm: The microcosm is the system of mana within the Astral Plane. Each Grazhir shard is linked to all the others, mostly through Axis. Effectively all of Grazhir's mana is bound up into this system, every bit of it necessary to maintain the magical pattern of Grazhir. In a very real way, the microcosm is Grazhir.

Pillars: Between Axis and the other shards are ten pillars. Each stream of Grazhir mana routes through one of the pillars before connecting to Axis. This provides a constant for navigation and lets Elanthians approach Axis far closer than would otherwise be safe.

Symbolism

Moon Mage cosmology depicts the Astral Plane as a soft grey sphere:

A sea of grey light floats in front of your eyes. The grey light is uniform and utterly still, without a sense of texture or even a faint shift in illumination along the horizon. It is impossible to tell if this is a sphere or simply a grey circle. A sense of quiet peace fills you as you look into grey light.

Pillars

Between Axis and the other shards are ten pillars. Each stream of Grazhir mana routes through one of the pillars before connecting to Axis. This provides a constant for navigation and lets Elanthians approach Axis far closer than would otherwise be safe. It is stated during the quest to learn about astral travel that the Pillars are not a natural occurrence, but neither are they a conscious creation; it is heavily implied that the collective Moon Mage consciousness caused the Pillars to form, and that each is symbolically associated with a different Moon Mage faction or ideal.

• Pillar of Nightmares
  • Aligned with Rolagi (Crossing).
  • Associated with the Prophets of G'nar Peth.

• Pillar of Tradition
  • Aligned with Dor'na'torna (Arid Steppes).
  • Associated with Nomads of the Arid Steppe.

• Pillar of Secrets
  • Aligned with Marendin (Shard).
  • Associated with the Progeny of Tezirah.

• Pillar of Unity
  • Aligned with Dor'na'torna (Arid Steppes).
  • Associated with Heritage House.

• Pillar of the Shrew
  • Aligned with Emalerje (Lesser Fist).
  • Associated with the Children of Kalestraum.

• Pillar of the Heavens
  • Aligned with Asharshpar'i (Leth Deriel) and Undarverjah (Taisgath).
  • Associated with the Celestial Compact.

• Pillar of Introspection
  • Aligned with Dinegavren (Therenborough).
  • Associated with the Monks of the Crystal Hand.

• Pillar of Fortune
  • Aligned with Mintais (Throne City).
  • Associated with the Followers of Fortune's Path.

• Pillar of Convergence
  • Aligned with Tamigen (Raven's Point).
  • No sect association.

• Broken Pillar
  • Aligned with Taniendar (Riverhaven).
  • No sect association.

Teloish (used in the astral travel quest) does not appear to be aligned with any of the pillars.

Denizens

Inhabitants of the Astral Plane are quite mysterious. At this time only the Pelag ai Aldam and the Cashek gand Aldam are known.

Notes:

Dor'na'torna

The shard Dor'na'torna leads to the Trabe Plateau which is linked by a non-permanent moongate to Inner Hibarnhvidar. It will be in place when a moon is up, elsewise the plateau is isolated from elsewhere and can only be left via the shard.

Pillar Locations

It is uncertain whether the relative position of each pillars can be disrupted in the same manner the routes within each conduits can be, but as of 2/06/09 the relative location of each pillar appears to be static and in the order as presented as follows:

The Pillar of Convergence is UP from pillars #1~8, while Broken Pillar is DOWN from pillars #1~8. From each of the other pillars, moving eastward will cycle through pillars #1~8 in an ascending order, and moving westward will cycle through pillars #1~8 in descending order.

From the Pillar of Convergence, #1 Nightmare is to the South, and the rest of #2~8 encircles the pillar in a COUNTER-clockwise manner along the 8 directions. I.e., #2 Tradition to the Southeast, #3 Secrets to the East, and so on.

For the Broken Pillar, the reverse is true. That is, from the Broken Pillar, #1 Nightmare is to the North, and the rest of #2~8 encircles the pillar in a CLOCKWISE manner along the 8 directions. I.e., #2 Tradition to the Northeast, #3 Secrets to the East, and so on.

Also See

• Astral Travel
• Pillars of the Astral Plane
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