The Beastlands

OK, some major changes here, but I hope you'll agree that they're all for the better. Any comments and suggestions are welcome

ECOTOPIA OF THE BEASTLANDS

(BETTER WRITTEN, MORE INTERESTING, AND MORE APPROPRIATE HISTORY PENDING)

BEASTLANDS TRAITS
Normal Gravity
Normal Time
Infinite Size
Divinely Morphic
No Elemental or Energy Traits
Mildly Good-Aligned
Normal Magic

BEASTLANDS INHABITANTS

(HAVE AN IDEA BUT I JUST NEED TO WRITE IT)

FEATURES OF THE BEASTLANDS

The Beastlands has four layers, Krigala, a layer of ruins of ancient cities, Brux, where all things are alive contains a spirit, Karasuthra, a testing ground for the ultimate survivalist and Volox, a surreal world of introspection and self-discovery. Unlike the Beastland's previous incarnation, each layer gets equal amount of daylight and nighttime, except for Volox, which is always shrouded in darkness.

Krigala

Krigala is nicknamed the "graveyard of civilization" as it is covered with a ruined city of leviathan proportions. The city has no real order to it, toppled skyscrapers lie mangled between industrial-era slums and tenements and old medieval cathedrals. In most places the city is eerily quiet yet strangely beautiful and chaotic, vines and trees grow easily here and sometimes the ruins are indiscernable from a forest. Usually the only sounds are birds chirping and slight breezes. In fact, the ruins are made up of every city that has ever been destroyed in the Prime Material Plane.

The petitioners here look as were when they were adolescents. Although they act much like children and play childish games they are as intelligent as they were in life. They can be uncannily wise, and have a great gift of pointing out character flaws to those who deny having them. They have no interest in argument, but will play games whom whoever wants. Often these games will result in strange relevations and odd suggestions. Few know that these petitioners are the spirits of good-aligned revolutionaries.

Others live here too, the ruins are all-accepting, there is no concept of squatting or ownership of land. Much of Krigala's population is made up of clueless, angry and bitter at their treatment from the rest of the planes, or those so pathetic and estranged Krigala is the only place that will take them. These communities can show a suprising amount of sophistication, some have electrical generators and utilize the old sewage system.

Anarchoburg

The biggest settlement in the Beastlands in Anarchoburg, with a population of almost a hundred thousand. It has nothing with the anarchist faction, but rather the lack of a consistant power structure. Ideas are the currency of Anarchoburg (sometimes literally), and the residents are constantly reorganizing and trying out new "methods". Argument and a debate are the main pastimes, and it's hard to beat Anarchoburg passion. In Anarchoburg, revolution is an every-day activity, and visitors are encouraged to overthrow their own governments.
Anarchoburg has a port on the river Oceanus, and gets regular traffic from the rest of the planes.

Student University

One of the most prestigious universities in the planes is also the most disorganized. Student University, as it is oddly called, is built within a massive royal palace which was razed to the ground on the Prime Material Plane. It is entirely run by students, even the faculty are also students, attendance is universal and free. Anyone can become a professor, but only the best professors become popular. Schedules are pretty irregular and usually only held together by serendipity (which is actually pretty common around SU). The science department is notoriously adventurous, doing experiments only fully-equipped military-grade labs would dare. Just don't volunteer yourself to be a test subject!

Brux

Brux looks almost identical to an undeveloped prime world, except with a stranger sense of beauty. Although the vast majority of it is covered with forest, it does roll out into endless savannas and prairies, spotted with mountain ranges, glaciers, and tundra. It is here where animals roam provided with plenty by the layer itself.

The climate here is odd for one of the upper planes. The weather is not known for it's calmness. In fact, thunder and rain can rage suddenly, but this is considered good luck. Visitors are encouraged to "enjoy the rain" for a few minutes.

What few people realize is that everything is alive and has a spirit in Brux. The rocks, the trees, the wind and the mountains all can see and hear what is around them, and think as well as humans. Those armed with the appropriate druidic magic can speak to them and learn from them or make requests. Most of these beings are truly ancient and have seen some things or two. Some people say, though, if they close their eyes and listen very closely, they can hear them without magic.

Many of the more friendly Animal Lords live here. Those of Deer, Birds, and Squirrels find this plane pleasant, although the prankster Fox Lord does spend some time here.

Anyone who lives here lives in harmony with nature. Those that refuse to are in for some hard luck, the living earth itself will shake whatever they build to the ground. Visitors with obvious evil intention are spotted immediately, there are eyes all around. All in all, Brux is pretty good at defending itself.

Ehlonna's Grove
Ehlonna's redwood cathedral hasn't changed much in the course of millenia. Her realm is a place of peace and harmony, no violence is allowed, even animals know they are in a Goddess's sanctuary. Vistors do come here sometimes to enjoy the placid animals, but most find the occasion somewhat saccharine, feeling like they've disappeared into some children's film. Ehlonna is getting more secluded and rarely meets people, although remarkable mortals are invited to her cathedral as well as any worshipers she still has. Ehlonna's seclusion is tabloid fodder for most of the planes.

Skerrit's Realm
Skerrit's realm is actually nomadic, traveling from place to place with his tribe. Here, they enjoy a life of constant adventure and travel, one that a centaur is suited towards. When they stop, they erect brightly colored tents painted with primitive yet beautiful patterns. Skerrit has the tendency to see modern technology as a crutch and will not harbor it as of yet.

Karasuthra

Unlike Brux, Karasuthra is not a place of harmony. Karasuthra is embroiled in struggle from which all those involved become stronger and wiser. It reminds some of the old plane of Ysgard, except on Karasuthra it serves a purpose to improve the combatants in mind and spirit.

The inhabitants are tested by the environment and by other natives. Karasuthra is covered with humid jungles, volcanoes, and expansive deserts, combining the harshest terrains on the prime material into a patchwork layer. The natives are ancient and terrible beasts, dinosaurs, wolves, giant spider, snakes and other creatures you wouldn't expect too see on the upper planes.

Despite the frightening nature of the animals here, they are teachers more than predators. Each one of them know a lesson, that the world is harsh, and to survive it is necessary to be cunning and strong. They live to pass the lesson onto visitors and to each other, that way, when a real trial comes to them they will survive.

Visitors to the realm, or as the natives call them, "pilgrims", are here hunt, to study, and to survive. Those that are there to hunt are in for the ultimate test and will find the animals give little mercy. Others will be harried and taunted by the inhabitants, but will not be killed so long as they continue to struggle. Regular visitors will find that the plane gives respite to those who persevere.

The only permanent human inhabitants are petitioners, those who were in life teachers of battle or those who struggled and survived themselves. Occasionally, survivalists do come down to this layer and eke out a challenging existence.

Red Sands Research Facility
Not long ago and independent company called McDougall-Sanders Inc (actually owned by yugoloths) built an underground research facility in a red desert. Activities were kept heavily under wraps, but animals were mysteriously disappearing wholesale from jungles, and it was suspected that the lab was developing strange biological weapons using local wildlife.

Unfortunately for the yugoloths, some of their "experiments" broke out of their cages and ripped the facility to shreds. Scientists fled to the jungles, only to be greeted by very angry natives. Their experiments were abominations, strange amalgamations of animals melded together and enchanted with magic to make mad and ferocious other-beasts. The vile creatures hide in the ruins, afraid to leave for fear of their kin.

Volox

Volox, the most remote layer of the Beastlands, is a place of weirdness and mystery. Only accessible through Karasuthra's volcanic vents, Volox is a surreal nether-world in which sea and air impossibly intermix.

A dark blue fog pervades the entire layer, like an eternally cloudy night. The only real sources of light are the volcanic streams of lava which weave their way through the earth. Alien birds and sea-creatures unseen in the Prime Material Plane fly and swim alongside each other in the mist.

There are no petitioners here. Travelers rarely come down here. Hunters are rarely ever successful, since the creatures can instantly see evil intent and run. When they are successful, the meat dissolves into oil in their mouths and the carcasses decay quickly outside of the native environment, live specimens will waste away. There is nothing to do here except introspection.

A number of mysteries exist here. Where do the animals come from? How can Volox be an ocean and a sky? What's the blue mist? What's the point of Volox? Investigators routinely turn up with nothing. However, people who float in Volox's cool air with eyes closed and an open heart will find that their souls are laid bare. In the unfamiliar environment, the soul is the familiar thing, and their darkest, most hidden desires and fears will reveal themselves.

After such traumatic introspection, the selfish will become selfless, the conservative will become liberal, the content will burn with passion, the destroyers will rebuild. Volox doesn't give magic power or make one tough and powerful. In Volox, the greatest revolution is the one inside the heart.

The Vents
Intrepid characters can dive deeper into the volcanic under-earth of Volox. It requires serious magical protection, but some think that there's some kind of metaphysical treasure in the magma-filled tunnels. Most berks are rewarded with a one-way ticket to the planes of fire or magma, or just a fiery death.