The Material Plane
The Material Plane sits at the nexus of the cosmos, a lynchpin for all that is created.
A shimmering and insular egg, shielded from the extremes of the outer planes, and built on a foundation of harmonious inner planes.
The great serpent Avaloros, began the cycle of sacrifice when they created the barrier that protects the realm from otherwise coercive forces.
The realm of Avaloros, known to outsiders as the Material Plane.
Ilurambar - "Walls of the World"
Vaiya - "Fold, envelope"
Ilmen - "Star Field"
Vilya - "Air, sky": Fanyamar - "Cloud Home" & Aiwenore "Bird Land"
Ronor - "Rising Land"
Martalmar - "Earth Home"
Ilunumbe - "Bones of the World"
The Edge Sea: Pelnen - "Fencing Water" & Fairenen "Holy Water"
Nuinar - "Descending Realm"
Cuma - "Void"
The great orb of fire that continuously orbits around Avaloros for all time is thought of as the umbilical cord of Avaloros to their cosmic egg. The ultimate source of light that must be protected and its image and warmth is venerated highest of all godly representations. The sun rises and sets each day as a grand symbol of both order and balance in the cosmos. The children of Avaloros are sometimes viewed as solar warriors.
The Phoenix flies anti-clockwise around Avaloros on an elevated plane some 10000 feet above the edge sea. This means that in the western continent, sunrise occurs in
the north and sunset in the south and opposite for the eastern continent. Night come when the phoenix passes behind the Apelpesian range casting half of the continent in darkness. Days are especially long and hot along the outer coasts and the middle of the continent is cooler due to the additional distance between the phoenix and the land. Seasons are more culturally aligned and reflect the cycles of Avaloros’ life instead of climate changes.
The underside of Avaloros lies in perpetual darkness and is ever cold, only the Illithid and their purple-worm mounts resemble any form of civilization in those desolate lands.
The Hesperides are closely tied to the moons that hang in the sky above Avaloros. They are thought to be 3 sister goddesses with continental avatars, 2 tend a garden in the west and 1 wanders the eastern rim. Similarly, two orbit each other while the third follows an erratic and unpredictable path. The standard calendar is designed around the dance between the Phoenix and the two locked moons. Each season in centered around the week of the full twin moons, when that season’s festival is held.
Katsika, the Fateforge
Large and glowing, Katsika provides most of the light available at night. Many cultures describe Katsika as a shining pearl in the sky, silently watching and guiding lost travelers.
Aiga, the Defender
Slightly smaller than Katsika, bands of red and brown are apparent on her surface. Aiga quickly orbits around Katsika, a perpetually wary guardian of a light worth protecting.
Aix, the Errant
This small, erratic moon suffers from a type of chromatic aberration as it races across the sky, leaving streaks of red and blue across a starlight background. People aren’t unified as to Aix’s function and many explanations are given, some conflicting with others.
Satellites.
One effect of a world lit by the Phoenix instead of a star, is that there is almost no scattering of light through the atmosphere that envelops Avaloros, at least near and underneath the Phoenix. A green haze is visible near midnight when scattered light makes its way around the Apelpisian range to the observer. But at other times, the Overworld is on full display; its constellations slyly communicate their messages in front of nebulas of dust and gas glowing as waves of energy undulate across the border of the material plane. Shadowlike spots slide across the upper sphere and flickering stars betray the presence of silent observers. The stony satellites float dead through space, but perhaps they are not dead. At least one crashed satellite is known to have contained a stable chaos rift. What wonders or horrors did it unleash? Finally, the three Orbs of Hesperides orbit in their dance across the sky. Their light and cyclic motions provide hope and meaning to inhabitants of the land, though the chaotic movements of the moon Aix has been interpreted as both a boon and a curse by different folk.
A.K.A. Ilurambar, The Faceted Veil.
A magical barrier delimiting from the astral sea.
Visible even during the day, 24 constellations hang in the dark veil above Avaloros and appear as arrangements of white, blue, and yellow specks of light with the overall form of the objects they represent. Because the constellations are stationary relative to the disc of Avaloros, travelers make ready use of their position to describe directions. In some legendary instances, the constellations have been known to speak to the children of Avaloros.
A simple divining ritual is performed at childbirth, determining the newborn’s sign; sometimes folk report their constellation animating in the sky and providing cryptic answers to questions posed absentmindedly to them. Constellations are also known to direct explorers towards untold wonders, often some localized anomaly emerging from a chaos rift. It is thought that these constellations are the jewel-fractured mind of Avaloros communicating with her Children.
The Constellations. In the early ages, the realm of the stars was chaotic, filled with colorful clouds and sparks, a lingering effect of bordering with the inner planes. Over the ages 24 facets formed to reflect the harmony of Avaloros inward and constellations were laid upon these flats to aid communication between Avaloros and her children. Important individuals from the ages are rendered in stars to serve as fables and reminders of the woes and triumph held in history. Each day of the month is named after one of the 24 constellations in the sky. Organized in order of their position relative to the Apelpesian range and monitored at many Seira temples, the star numbers described by the Seira cult rituals are often taken as lucky numbers. The constellations are made of small stars and nebula to create nearly photo-realistic depictions of their forms.
Portals opened by Avalon or the Hesperide to the other planes. These where used mostly during the Population, but occasionally are opened to revitalize discordant regions.
TOV has been able to pierce the veil four times to deposit the Herlads, and thanks to their work knows the location of Avalon. His armies scour the deep ethereal, and those troops able to find the cosmic egg rain down to Avalon to sow mayhem. Luckily Avalon is able to evade the majority of these dark soldiers within the folds of the deep ethereal. A cat and mouse game of planar proportions.
Our world is a paradox. It is the very giver and taker of life, and in the very end of all things where no future can be said to exist the world is born anew leaving all questions unanswered. The great serpent is ever hungry, dripping fangs and gaping maw swallow its own tail, never sated. Everything you can see and feel and everyone you have ever known are merely travelers on the back of existence like ants scurrying over a greater being.
Here, we are always moving through the dimension of time. Traveling along the back of the beast itself to escape certain destruction, and someday, we are told by the spirits of nature themselves, that we may find paradise atop our world's crown.
We have inherited the knowledge of Avaloros’ magic from our hallowed ancestors. All we must provide is the will to reach great heights. Prove that you deserve to live, and fight onward!
Ouroboros is the unity of two antithetical entities, Avaloros, the Rainbow Dragon, and The Old Voice, a dark being from outside of space and cause of many woes among those who yet live.
Avaloros represents the whole of life, creation, and her head is the ever-sprouting crown of the world; The Old Voice is a physical embodiment of death, destruction, and is the all-consuming tail-end of the world.
Avaloros shares her light with the player races.
"Avaloros has given us a goal, Paradise, and the magical power to achieve it. We must strive to fight, to live, and move ever forward towards the blessed land."
The Old Voice sends his lieutenants to prepare the world for consumption.
"Yes, live; while you can. One day, the very last day, I will come for you, wearing my many-faced mask of death, and everything you know will end."
A shimmering and insular egg, shielded from the extremes of the outer planes, and built on a foundation of harmonious inner planes.
The great serpent Avaloros, began the cycle of sacrifice when they created the barrier that protects the realm from otherwise coercive forces.
The realm of Avaloros, known to outsiders as the Material Plane.
The Ordering of the Material Plane
by Alex Preisser
Ilurambar - "Walls of the World"
Vaiya - "Fold, envelope"
Ilmen - "Star Field"
Vilya - "Air, sky": Fanyamar - "Cloud Home" & Aiwenore "Bird Land"
Ronor - "Rising Land"
Martalmar - "Earth Home"
Ilunumbe - "Bones of the World"
The Edge Sea: Pelnen - "Fencing Water" & Fairenen "Holy Water"
Nuinar - "Descending Realm"
Cuma - "Void"
The Sun
by Alex Preisser
The Phoenix flies anti-clockwise around Avaloros on an elevated plane some 10000 feet above the edge sea. This means that in the western continent, sunrise occurs in
Phoenix's Route by Alex Preisser
The underside of Avaloros lies in perpetual darkness and is ever cold, only the Illithid and their purple-worm mounts resemble any form of civilization in those desolate lands.
The Moons
The Hesperides are closely tied to the moons that hang in the sky above Avaloros. They are thought to be 3 sister goddesses with continental avatars, 2 tend a garden in the west and 1 wanders the eastern rim. Similarly, two orbit each other while the third follows an erratic and unpredictable path. The standard calendar is designed around the dance between the Phoenix and the two locked moons. Each season in centered around the week of the full twin moons, when that season’s festival is held.
Katsika, the Fateforge
Large and glowing, Katsika provides most of the light available at night. Many cultures describe Katsika as a shining pearl in the sky, silently watching and guiding lost travelers.
Aiga, the Defender
Slightly smaller than Katsika, bands of red and brown are apparent on her surface. Aiga quickly orbits around Katsika, a perpetually wary guardian of a light worth protecting.
Aix, the Errant
This small, erratic moon suffers from a type of chromatic aberration as it races across the sky, leaving streaks of red and blue across a starlight background. People aren’t unified as to Aix’s function and many explanations are given, some conflicting with others.
Satellites.
The Sky
One effect of a world lit by the Phoenix instead of a star, is that there is almost no scattering of light through the atmosphere that envelops Avaloros, at least near and underneath the Phoenix. A green haze is visible near midnight when scattered light makes its way around the Apelpisian range to the observer. But at other times, the Overworld is on full display; its constellations slyly communicate their messages in front of nebulas of dust and gas glowing as waves of energy undulate across the border of the material plane. Shadowlike spots slide across the upper sphere and flickering stars betray the presence of silent observers. The stony satellites float dead through space, but perhaps they are not dead. At least one crashed satellite is known to have contained a stable chaos rift. What wonders or horrors did it unleash? Finally, the three Orbs of Hesperides orbit in their dance across the sky. Their light and cyclic motions provide hope and meaning to inhabitants of the land, though the chaotic movements of the moon Aix has been interpreted as both a boon and a curse by different folk.
The Walls of the World
A.K.A. Ilurambar, The Faceted Veil.
A magical barrier delimiting from the astral sea.
Stars
Visible even during the day, 24 constellations hang in the dark veil above Avaloros and appear as arrangements of white, blue, and yellow specks of light with the overall form of the objects they represent. Because the constellations are stationary relative to the disc of Avaloros, travelers make ready use of their position to describe directions. In some legendary instances, the constellations have been known to speak to the children of Avaloros.
A simple divining ritual is performed at childbirth, determining the newborn’s sign; sometimes folk report their constellation animating in the sky and providing cryptic answers to questions posed absentmindedly to them. Constellations are also known to direct explorers towards untold wonders, often some localized anomaly emerging from a chaos rift. It is thought that these constellations are the jewel-fractured mind of Avaloros communicating with her Children.
The Constellations. In the early ages, the realm of the stars was chaotic, filled with colorful clouds and sparks, a lingering effect of bordering with the inner planes. Over the ages 24 facets formed to reflect the harmony of Avaloros inward and constellations were laid upon these flats to aid communication between Avaloros and her children. Important individuals from the ages are rendered in stars to serve as fables and reminders of the woes and triumph held in history. Each day of the month is named after one of the 24 constellations in the sky. Organized in order of their position relative to the Apelpesian range and monitored at many Seira temples, the star numbers described by the Seira cult rituals are often taken as lucky numbers. The constellations are made of small stars and nebula to create nearly photo-realistic depictions of their forms.
Chaos Rifts
Portals opened by Avalon or the Hesperide to the other planes. These where used mostly during the Population, but occasionally are opened to revitalize discordant regions.
Incursions
TOV has been able to pierce the veil four times to deposit the Herlads, and thanks to their work knows the location of Avalon. His armies scour the deep ethereal, and those troops able to find the cosmic egg rain down to Avalon to sow mayhem. Luckily Avalon is able to evade the majority of these dark soldiers within the folds of the deep ethereal. A cat and mouse game of planar proportions.
Ouroboros
Our world is a paradox. It is the very giver and taker of life, and in the very end of all things where no future can be said to exist the world is born anew leaving all questions unanswered. The great serpent is ever hungry, dripping fangs and gaping maw swallow its own tail, never sated. Everything you can see and feel and everyone you have ever known are merely travelers on the back of existence like ants scurrying over a greater being.
Here, we are always moving through the dimension of time. Traveling along the back of the beast itself to escape certain destruction, and someday, we are told by the spirits of nature themselves, that we may find paradise atop our world's crown.
We have inherited the knowledge of Avaloros’ magic from our hallowed ancestors. All we must provide is the will to reach great heights. Prove that you deserve to live, and fight onward!
Ouroboros is the unity of two antithetical entities, Avaloros, the Rainbow Dragon, and The Old Voice, a dark being from outside of space and cause of many woes among those who yet live.
Avaloros represents the whole of life, creation, and her head is the ever-sprouting crown of the world; The Old Voice is a physical embodiment of death, destruction, and is the all-consuming tail-end of the world.
Avaloros shares her light with the player races.
"Avaloros has given us a goal, Paradise, and the magical power to achieve it. We must strive to fight, to live, and move ever forward towards the blessed land."
The Old Voice sends his lieutenants to prepare the world for consumption.
"Yes, live; while you can. One day, the very last day, I will come for you, wearing my many-faced mask of death, and everything you know will end."
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