Planar Rifts

The prevalence of planar rifts in Utania, especially on Aetheris and Aurestria, is tied to the world's history, its magical nature, and its relationship with the planes. Utania exists at a unique point in the cosmos where the boundaries between the Material Plane and other planes of existence—the Elemental Planes, the Feywild, the Shadowfell, and more—are unusually thin. This fragile Planar Veil is particularly weak in specific areas, such as Aetheris and Aurestria, due to their histories of magical calamities and natural ley line convergence.   The Sundering of Aetheris was a major contributor to rift activity. This catastrophic event not only reshaped Aetheris geographically but also destabilized the Planar Veil across the continent. The Sundering created ley line nexuses, places where immense magical energy constantly flows, making planar breaches more likely. Riftgate and Shadowspire both owe their existence to the aftermath of this event, as they are situated near ley line hubs.   The Skybreaker Incident in Aurestria also greatly impacted the Planar Veil. The collapse and fall of the floating city Areatt caused immense damage to the region's magical fabric just as it did to the landscape. The fallout created a hotspot of magical instability known as the Glass Wastes, which continues to spawn small rifts.   Despite seemingly stabilizing rift activity, when the Aetherites arrived, they introduced foreign magic that may have permanently damaged the Planar Veil. Their mysterious departure is believed to have left lingering fractures in reality.   Aetheris and Aurestria are riddled with ley lines, and their convergence points act as natural foci for magical energy. These points are unpredictable and sometimes erupt into planar breaches, creating temporary or permanent rifts.   The extraction of Voidstone and Black Amber and the use of these materials destabilizes the veil even further. Voidstone, being tied to the Shadowfell and other dark planes, is associated with particularly dangerous rifts. Black Amber’s toxic, otherworldly properties suggest it may originate from a plane that Utania was never meant to interact with, making its presence inherently destabilizing.   Nations like Riftgate and the Solithar Empire rely heavily on magic, often pushing the limits of what their mages can control. Experimentation with planar travel, summoning, and Voidstone technology continues to widen existing tears in the veil.   Many nations have learned to live with rifts, developing defenses like Riftgate’s planar containment wards or the Frostwarden’s Vigil to safeguard against planar incursions. Some view rifts as opportunities, using them for trade with other planes or to harvest rare resources. Areas around persistent rifts are avoided, like the Riftlands or the Glass Wastes, which are home to mutated wildlife, otherworldly creatures, and unstable environments. Adventurers and scholars often venture into these regions at great risk for the promise of knowledge or treasure.  

Rift Mysteries

• The Role of the Aetherites: Some scholars believe the Aetherites' arrival was not a choice but a side effect of Utania’s damaged veil. Their artifacts and writings hint at a solution, though no one has yet deciphered the key to restoring the veil.
• The Origins of the Sundering: Was the Sundering caused by human folly, or was it a natural event tied to Utania’s cosmic position?
• The Veil’s Future: Some fear that continued damage to the veil could lead to a full-scale planar collapse, merging Utania with other planes in a chaotic, uninhabitable world.