Alternative Cosmology: Pervasive Ethereal & Shadow

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Kobold Avenger's picture
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factotums
Joined: 2005-11-18
Alternative Cosmology: Pervasive Ethereal & Shadow

When the Manual of the Planes came out, and altered the set-up of the planes, with the pervasive astral plane, expanded shadow and cut-back ethereal plane, I thought of an alternative to all that.

How about the ethereal and shadow plane, also be as pervasive across the multiverse as the astral is. Since I'm still using the deep ethereal and like the idea of the deep shadow plane. Have the ethereal, astral and shadow connecting to all other planes. It'll put more significance on the Rule of Three. It works in my idea of a cosmology where the way the planes are arranged are more subjective.

They may exist with other transitive planes, but these three planes would be the most significant.

The border ethereal plane and outer planes may have a somewhat more limited link, in that if you wander a certain distance or stay long enough in an outer planes ethereal, you'll end up in the outer plane itself. Roughly the same would go with the shadow planes borders with other planes. Perhaps the planes themselves pull you in.

Kobold Avenger's picture
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factotums
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Alternative Cosmology: Pervasive Ethereal & Shadow

Another option would be to use the optional planes from the MotP. Mainly Dream and Spirit, though in some ways I have at least one of them being one of the 5 levels of reality.

Bob the Efreet's picture
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Alternative Cosmology: Pervasive Ethereal & Shadow

Mirrors is a good one, too.

I think this could be a pretty neat idea: all the transitive planes are pervasive. Different people would choose different paths based on preference, or availability, rather than going along one plane because that's the only way to do it.

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taotad's picture
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Alternative Cosmology: Pervasive Ethereal & Shadow

I use the Shadow and Astral as pervasive planes, but haven't used Ethereal at that yet. Probably out of habit I guess.

Its a good idea Smiling

Krypter's picture
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Alternative Cosmology: Pervasive Ethereal & Shadow

That's pretty much what I did in my campaign. The Ether is a transitive medium for ghosts, spirits and everything else that has a life force. The Astral is open to those things that have sapience, and Shadow is open to all things that have physicality, ie: cast a shadow in light.

Mirrors, pools, the fogs of Ravenloft and other similar things I would consider to be portals activated by specific events or even completely open most of the time, although the Plane of Mirrors could be considered a portal nexus point. Has any Planescape product ever discussed portal nexii?

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