Outlands

Though it is said to be infinite, the Outlands possess a clear center and structure. The terrain spirals outward from the Spire, encompassing biomes and settlements that subtly shift based on the beliefs, origins, and expectations of each traveler. A glade may become a monastery on a return journey. A tower might become a mountain, yet occupy the same conceptual “space.”   The landscape alters to match subconscious expectation. This phenomenon is not illusion—it is the Outlands shaping reality to fit perception. While this is strongest among mortal visitors, even gods report uncertainty about what they see. While perceptions change, distances do not. Travel between locations remains consistent as what changes is what you’re traveling through.  

Notable Locations

[h4The Spire The Spire of the Outlands dominates the center of the realm. No one has ever reached its summit. As one approaches, all magic—especially that granted by divine or alignment-based sources—fades. At its base, even gods become mortal, unable to call upon their own power.  

The Spire Base

A no-god’s land, where ascended beings become mundane. Home to The Hall of Inquiry, a neutral zone for interplanar trials and discussions.  

Evermoot Caravanserai

A nomadic merchant enclave whose layout changes daily, welcoming all who do not worship excess.  

The Oracle Pool

A silver lake said to reflect not the future, but the fairest possible outcome. Used by rilmani judges to resolve philosophical disputes.  

The Gate-Towns

Surrounding the Spire at equal distances lie sixteen remarkable settlements known as the Gate-Towns, each constructed around a permanent portal to one of the Outer Planes. The essence of the connected plane permeates its corresponding gate-town, reflecting the planar influence through architecture, population, and culture:  

Town	Connected Plane	Description
Excelsior	Mount Celestia	A fortified city of compassion, honor, and justice.
Tradegate	Bytopia	A bustling star-shaped trade hub, governed by the enigmatic Master Trader.
Ecstasy	Elysium	Serene and idyllic, known for pastoral harmony.
Faunel	The Beastlands	Overgrown and reclaimed by nature, alive with wild energy.
Sylvania	Arborea	Constantly festive, music and revelry fill every street.
Glorium	Ysgard	Rugged village on a fjord, inhabited by fearless warriors.
Xaos	Limbo	A shifting, anarchic city, its name ever-changing.
Bedlam	Pandemonium	Chaotic, desperate, sprawled across treacherous hillsides.
Plague-Mort	Abyss	Diseased, crumbling, ruled by cruelty and madness.
Curst	Carceri	A grim city of betrayal and bitterness, arranged in oppressive rings.
Hopeless	Hades	Spiraled, isolated, ruled by despair and resignation.
Torch	Gehenna	Built amid volcanoes, a city of smoke and simmering tension.
Ribcage	Nine Hells	Elegant yet tyrannical, at the base of a mountainous valley.
Rigus	Acheron	Militarized, rigidly disciplined, constantly preparing for war.
Automata	Mechanus	Perfectly symmetrical, obsessively ordered, and structured.
Fortitude	Arcadia	Strictly lawful, orderly yet oppressive in its uniformity.

  Each Gate-Town teeters on the threshold of transformation; if the influence of its adjacent plane becomes too strong, the town may slip into that plane, pulling the portal with it.  

Inhabitants

While no native species call the Outlands home, beings of every conceivable type gather here: Fiends, Celestials, Monitors, rilmani, slaadi, petitioners, and mortal planewalkers. A vibrant trade economy thrives here, with bazaars, caravans, and merchant enclaves dotting the neutral zones, making it an indispensable crossroads for interplanar commerce.   Diplomats, sages, and planar scholars frequently meet in the neutral territories, protected by the diminishing of magical aggression toward the Spire’s center.  

Portals and Travel

The Outlands act as the planar nexus, connecting seamlessly to each Outer Plane through its gate-towns. Access to the Astral Plane is provided via color pools spaced at least 600 miles apart, while spontaneous portals, appearing as large white disks, sometimes manifest unpredictably, linking distant worlds and realms.

Divine and Mythic Powers

  Suppressed within 10 miles of the Spire. All divine magic and alignment-based effects (including smite, channel energy, etc.) require a DC 30 caster level check to function. Clerics may not prepare or cast spells of alignment descriptors without success checks in this area.  

Neutralization Aura

Within a day's walk of the Spire, all extremes are dulled:

• Spells of alignment descriptors falter;
• Emotions lose intensity;
• Magical aggression is dampened;
• Divine presence diminishes;

  Near the Spire, all extremes: magic, emotion, and alignment-based powers, are dulled, encouraging negotiation and cooperation.  

Reality Shaping

The Outlands subtly reflect visitors’ subconscious expectations, reshaping perceptions while maintaining consistent geography. Gods can influence but never fully control this manifestation.  

Spontaneous Portals

tWhile the Gate-Towns offer stable passages, portals also appear unpredictably. These white disk-shaped voids fluctuate in size and duration, sometimes linking to remote demiplanes, rogue layers of the Abyss, or forgotten Elysian gardens. Navigation is difficult without specialized tools.