Cosmology of Ransera
The Aetherium
The Aetherium is the realm beyond the Material Plane of Acillon (sometimes referred to as the Mortal Plane). Within its vastness is the infinite potential for all that was, is and ever will be. The Aetherium is a realm of concepts where all ideas and potential flow formlessly. From a spiritual standpoint, the Aetherium is the source of all things within the universe. It is the highest and simultaneously the lowest plane of existence where anything and everything is possible with but a focus of intent and willpower. It is the native plane of the Endir and the Aldir.
The Aetherium is divided into two categories. They are the Outer Planes and the Inner Planes. The Outer Planes are defined as those planes of existence that do not touch upon the Mortal Plane of Acillon. The Inner Planes are those planes of existence that touch upon the Mortal Plane of Acillon and in some manner, have influence over it.
The Aethereal Sea
The endless and open Aethereal Sea is the formless nether of raw power and potential that has not been shaped by either Aldir or Endir. It is a miasma that is forever roiling with both Order and Chaos. All things are possible in the Aethereal Sea and there are beings that wander the vastness of its infinite flows that are both familiar and utterly alien.
The Outer Planes of the Aetherium
Sometimes referred to as the Outer Dark or the Misty Realms, the Outer Planes are most commonly ruled over by a singular entity. As is the case, this is almost universally a Mistlord but there are exceptions. Each of the Outer Planes is completely subject to the whims of its ruler and their rules for how it should operate. One moment the plane might be a verdant forest, the next it could be a plane consisting of nothing but toxic gases. Mortals are warned to tread cautiously in these places and any like them.
The Shrouded Realms
If the Aetherium were to be described as a wheel with tiered rings inside of it, the realms on the furthest edges of that wheel would belong to the highest tier of the Aldir. The Mistlords dominate the Aetherium as the supreme beings who walk it that retain sentience and focused willpower. The known Mistlords have each established a realm for themselves within the Aetherium that is completely their own and subject to their will in every way. Within these realms their will is absolute and irrefutable. To travel to them is dangerous for any mortal, if travel to them is possible at all.
The Abyssal Maw
A jagged landscape of rock, fire, dust and ash. The Abyssal Maw is the realm of Streolon, the Mistlord of Hunger. Suspended above a cavernous pit is a city of obsidian and iron at the bottom of which is a never ending battle referred to as the Crawl of Ambition. Those unfortunate souls who have found themselves at the bottom of the pit, whether banished there or traveling there intentionally, will find it near impossible to escape.
The Trialforge
Yggrakas is simple in his desire to visit wrath and destruction. His realm is a reflection of this simple desire. The landscape is that of a vast desert region. At the heart of this region is a great arena. If travelers to the realm of the Trialforge are not accosted by some manner of beast or lesser Aldir in the endless dunes, they will then get the chance to test their mettle in Yggrakas’ arena. The Mistlord of Wrath welcomes all to unleash their anger, their rage and to embrace destruction.
The Valley of the Veils
A sleepy realm to which gloom and darkness clings. The land of the eternal night is home to Drimera, Mother of Tears. Lost souls wander listlessly through seemingly abandoned villages or open graveyards. Somewhere in the endless night stands Gloomreach, the home of Drimera proper. It is said that the shadows of the Valley touch upon all mortal planes and it is through them that the Whispers, Drimera’s agents, travel across all realms.
The Lost Fathoms
A subterranean plane that is a never ending underdark of horrific monsters and hidden places waiting to be discovered. Some believe that the Lost Fathoms are worlds that Thultu has consumed and dragged into the deep places of his realm, a veritable layer-cake of lost civilizations and history. This is, however, speculation at best. The Lord of the Deep is, of all the Mistlords, one of the most difficult to gain audience with. He seems far more interested in unleashing monstrous hordes upon the planes. For what purposes? Only the Leviathan himself knows.
The Dreadlands
Across the planes of the Aetherium, none are so feared as the Dreadlands. From the black palace of Dawn’s End, the Burning King rules in supremacy over his realm. A cracked and craggy land of jagged mountains, volcanoes and sprawling canyons. It is from the black city that Akrivar plots and plans his eventual conquest of not merely the many realms of the Aetherium but of the Mortal Realm as well.
The Palace of Plenty
A labyrinthine palace of never ending rooms, courtyards, gardens and delights. The Palace of Plenty is a place that many interplanar travellers frequent. The Queen of Flesh opens the doors to her grand palace to any who choose to visit her home. Her only requirement is that a gift be presented to her for each and every visit. Pleasures of all sorts can be found in the infinite rooms of the palace. Myshala promises that the deepest wish of one’s heart can be found in her home. One need only find the room in which it is contained, a quest that only a handful have ever been successful in completing.
The Hunted Expanse
The realm of Ugrimal is perhaps one of the most diverse among the Mistlords. A sprawling expanse of forest and mountains, the Hunted Expanse promises to bring with it challenges few mortals can hope to overcome. Prowling the dark forest are monsters in service to the Lord of Chains. It is a never ending game of cat and mouse. The hunted and the hunter. To be captured by these creatures is to be brought to Cyn, the City of Chains where one is enslaved and forced to live the rest of eternity in service to an Aldir master. There is yet hope for the captured however, if they can overcome their masters without arousing the ire of the Mistlord or his lieutenants, such prowess is rewarded.
The Blood Isles
Situated in the red waters of the Scarlet Sea are the Blood Isles. Home to cities of gothic opulence and intrigue, the Blood Isles are an eternal game of open conflict and vicious intrigue between its denizens. It is a lesson in wars of attrition where none of the parties involved ever truly have the chance of overtaking the others for very long. Xarakses, the Bloodgod delights in conflict. The longer and more bloody, the better. For brave and capable however, the Blood Isles hold many powerful secrets and if enticed...powerful allies.
The Festival Neverending
The grand and sprawling festival is a mix of grandiose championships, lively carnivals, colorful parades and incredible theatrical performances. Celebrations of all manner can be found across the festival grounds. Whether it is a simple drinking contest or a show of competitive strength and even blood sports, the Mistlord of Debauchery invites all to indulge themselves in whatever pleases them. One must be careful however, for Vymeshis delights in nothing more than to see mortals become consumed by their greedy indulgences. Be wary traveler, for at the Festival Neverending, temptation is the very definition of the realm.
Apocrypha
A library of discarded knowledge, obscure and insane text or of secrets so profound they can break the minds of mortals, this is Apocrypha. Home to the Lord of Mysteries, Lyren whispers dark promises of forbidden knowledge to those who visit his realm. For as much will be learned from the towering stacks of eldritch books littering this realm, one is just as likely to be driven mad by the knowledge they gain.
The Inner Planes
The Inner Planes of the Aetherium are those planes of existence that touch upon the Material Plane of Acillon and in some way, have influence over it. They are considered the “stable” planes of existence.
The Land of Nod
Surrounding the Inner Planes that touch upon the Mortal Plane is the first barrier to denizens of the Aetherium that might seek to influence Ransera. The Realm of Dreams stands on the furthest edge of the Inner Planes and encompasses all of them serving as a veil between the Inner and Outer Planes.
When mortals first slumbered, it was discovered that in dreaming, mortals souls were drawn inexorably to the light of the Aetherium. To prevent their souls from getting lost in the Aethereal Sea or from getting preyed upon by the native inhabitants of the Aetherium, Thiovan built the Land of Nod. It is a place that borders the edge between the Material and Immaterial. From then on, when mortals dreamed, their spirits wandered the Land of Nod. It is a curious plane that gives a glimpse of the infinite malleability of the Aetherium with but an exertion of willpower.
The Elemental Planes
The Six Elemental Planes of the Inner Aetherium serve as the foundation upon which the elements of the Mortal Plane were built. As the Dragon Gods and various Endir who worked alongside them toiled away, each of these planes was established.
Plane of Water
The entirety of the Plane of Water is submerged in a never ending ocean that, while spanning in all directions, does not appear to be tremendously deep in most places. Indeed, in most places on the Plane of Water it appears quite curiously that one could break the surface in a matter of minutes. Doing so however, deposits the swimmer onto one of the other various Inner Planes through a body of water located there. A feat that is often a one-way experience unless it is an established planar gateway. Underwater cities and structures dot the plane but whomever their architects were, have long since abandoned them. Lacking the ability to breathe underwater makes visiting this plane inadvisable.
Plane of Air
Solid ground is a rarity in the Plane of Air but there are various rock formations floating in the endless skies. Many of these have various cloud cities built upon them where denizens of the Plane of Air. Great palaces seemingly made of ivory white clouds or streaks of blue crystallized lightning can be found scattered across the plane. There is a perpetual wind that can be felt anywhere in the realm though its intensity fluctuates depending on where one is. Travelling to the Plane of Air is often done by finding a rift or portal that has opened in the heart of a thunderstorm, a hurricane or even a tornado. As such, journeying to this plane of existence is dangerous unless one possesses the power to open a portal directly. Lacking the ability to fly makes travel across the Plane of Air difficult.
Plane of Earth
A sprawling cavernous plane filled all manner of different minerals, gems, crystals and various forms of earth, the Plane of Earth is only accessible by passing through portals in subterranean places of the world. Upon passing into the Plane of Earth the deep caverns vary in their levels of safety. The creatures that wander the terrain are often hulking brutes of rock and stone or have adapted to survive in subterranean conditions that lend to very alien appearances.
Plane of Fire
A jagged and canyon riddled plane of molten rock and lava, with rivers of fire and air that is hot and riddled with ash in some places, the Plane of Fire is dangerous for even the seasoned explorer. Traveling to the Plane of Fire subjects one to the intense heat of the hottest of summer days. Any and all creatures that are native to the plane are in some way spawned or kindred to the blazing element. While there are pockets of civilization across the plane, the vast majority of it is a sprawling landscape that is treacherous at every turn. Naturally occurring portals to the plane are common around volcanic fissures.
Plane of Metal
The glittering Plane of Metal, much like the Plane of Earth, can be accessed through subterranean portals that occur where heavy metal deposits are present. An open landscape with gleaming mountains and mercurial rivers, the Plane of Metal can be breathtaking to behold. The denizens of the plane are often just as stunning as their environment. Some are friendly, most are not. Travellers visiting the plane should take care to bring ample food and water with them as the resources of the plane are not well suited to most organisms from Ransera.
Plane of Wood
A never-ending woodland filled with flora and fauna both familiar and alien. The environment shifts from deciduous, coniferous, evergreen, tropical and all naturally occurring types of forests. Travelling to the Plane of Wood is typically done by accessing portals in deeply forested areas. While certainly one of the most hospitable of the Elemental Planes, the Plane of Wood is no less dangerous. Due to its wild nature, poisonous herbs and plantlife are far more potent on the Plane of Wood. Conversely, the medicinal properties of benign plants are also amplified. The wild animals and insects are all dire size, if not larger.
The Mortal Plane of Acillon
The Material Plane, the Mortal Plane, Acillon. There are many names for the realm of mortals that was forged by the Endir. There are many worlds scattered across it's stars but Ransera remains the only world that is hospitable without extreme difficulty. As the Endir toiled to find and create the perfect conditions for mortal life, many creations were left in their wake. Some of those creations yet linger in the vast expanse of stars. Waiting. Watching. For what? Only they know, as the Endir have long since abandoned them for Ransera.
For the Endir, the Material Plane is the result of their work. It is the place where mortals can manifest the highest levels of their potential without fear of the terrible and wonderful raw power of the Aetherium.
