The Worldfast

The Worldfast is a magical barrier that isolates Mangal from other planes. A combination of draconic energies, elvish arcana, and hag sorcery, the Worldfast was established over 2,000 years ago.  

History and Enactment

 After the final extermination of their ancient draconic enemies, the elves of Mangal build a thriving and peaceful civilization. Beset by the planar invasion of a now Forgotten Empire of men and their fiendish allies, the elves had no defense equal to the threat. Elvish leaders turned to the Creeping Tree Coven, as they had for aid to defeat the ancient green dragons in the past. The Coven agreed to offer their aid. Together the hags and elves crafted a great ritual that would forever cut off the invaders from the dark gods fueling their magic. With sorcerous secrets and seeds that would become the Havenwood provided by the Coven and empowered by the sacrifice of the elves' greatest wizards, the Worldfast mythal formed. The desperate attempt at survival succeeded; the great planar gates that supplied the invaders sputtered out of existence, dark clerics' spells and conjurings yielded no effect. The Worldfast severed the invaders from the dark powers that unified and fueled them, and they faltered.   But the Coven's sorcery did more than they led the elves to believe. Mangal was separated from all other worlds, and was now at the mercy of a newly immortal Coven and magically invulnerable and soul-devouring Havenwood.  

Effects and Legacy

The Worldfast is a planar enchantment powered by mortal souls absorbed by the Havenwood trees. It is a barrier encircling Mangal, preventing travel to and from other planes. Extraplanar beings are incapable of passing into or detecting the world's existence. From the outside, it appears that the entire plane of Mangal blinked out of existence the day the Worldfast began. In addition to affecting planar travel, the isolation has shaped the magical capabilities of the denizens of Mangal.  

• Unanswered Prayers. Hidden, Mangal out of reach of the upper and lower planes. Gods cannot engage with mortals on Mangal. For some, like the once pious elves, this is a curse. For others, such as the goblins, freedom from the influence of evil gods allowed their society to develop very differently than on other worlds. No clerics have been called to service by any diety since Worldfast.
 
• Conjuring Restrictions. Magic users on Mangal cannot conjure spirits or creatures from other planes. They can summon some entities trapped within the Umbral Mists. Fey spirits are plentiful there, and some immortal fiends were trapped in the Mists by the Worldfast.
 
• Souls and the Havenwood. Hags are clever, even inspired, but seldom concerned with collateral damage. Originally living beacons to channel soul energy to the Worldfast, the Havenwood absorb far more energy than is necessary to maintain the barrier. The trees' excess magical reserves have grown and warped the ecology of the plane on a massive scale. The original Havenwood spawned jungles now cover the world. The trees draw in the souls of dead mortals, dissolving them into magical energy. Souls absorbed by the trees are destroyed and beyond necromancy or resurrection.